As everyone has noticed from my last entry, I posted a link to the new Vatican Archives website. So far, I like it. The website is easy to navigate around, and a great time-waster. In this website, they show off scanned documents dating all the way back to the year 1000 and virtual tours of their frescoes. The scanned documents let the viewer enjoy the lovely calligraphy and handwriting. However, I do have one gripe. The website promotes a virtual tour of their frescoes from the Paoline Rooms from the Borghese Pope era. In reality, they only put up some photos of the frescoes done by artists named Paul and Mathjis Bril. I wish they could add a profile on who these two artists were. Regarding the paintings, I do not about you, but they crack me up. All the paintings represent a history of emperors and kings bowing down to the Papacy.
Regarding other virtual tours, they have a space that promotes various seals worn by royalty loyal to them. I like this section, just click on a link and it shows seals that move around on its own and letting you see the full effect of what they look like.
One stand-out aspect of this website, comes from their archive of Mongolian documents. Here, you can enjoy the calligraphy and the red seals commonly found in Asian art.
Art History Ramblings 