Resource Pack
Items from GSA Archives and Collections
Below are a collection of 3D scans which were made as part of a research project looking at creative reuse of digital heritage material. The scans and their associated files are made available under a creative commons attribution license meaning the files can be used for any purpose as long as credit is given to the original creator where relevant.
The Hand of Laocoön
Remnant of Laocoön and His Sons
This scan depicts the remains of a plaster cast of the sculpture Laocoön and His Sons, which was destroyed in the 2018 Mackintosh fire. the remains are of the casts left hand which gripped a serpent.
Interestingly, the version of this cast presented here as a 3D model follows a long history of reproductions of the Laocoön. Details of which can be found in a talk by Stuart Jeffrey which is linked below.
Historically, casts have been used in art schools for centuries as teaching aids, for learning essential skills such as anatomy and drawing from life. However, the way in which art schools teach has changed drastically over the last century and the question of what to do with cast collections has been raised.
Further reading:
Stevens, T. (2019) The Plaster Cast Collection of Glasgow School of Art: History Aura and Experience. 23, 2018-19. Available here: https://radar.gsa.ac.uk/6796/
Stuart Jeffrey | Digital Laocoon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OvXQEJUR9Y
Jeffrey, S., Love, S. and Poyade, M. (2021) ‘The Digital Laocoön: Replication, Narrative and Authenticity’, Museum and Society, 19(2), pp. 166–183. Available at: https://doi.org/10.29311/mas.v19i2.3583.
Women In Relief
Remains of Two Marble Reliefs
Following on from the previous scan, this collection depicts remnants from two marble reliefs each depicting a woman draped in flowing fabric which were also sadly destroyed in the 2018 Mackintosh Fire.
These remains are due to be deaccessioned from the archive, though it may be interesting to consider how these scans can act as a way of continuing the life of these objects within the Glasgow School of Art.
two of the scans, depicting a shoulder and foot come from the same marble relief, while the scan depicting fabric comes from the second relief.
Decorated Marble Pilaster
This scan is of a decorative marble pilaster, which would have been a decorative part of a classical building.
Seen in the scan are two distinct halves to the object, where it has been partially cleaned. Similarly to the other scans shown here, the original object was likely also used as a teaching material.
