This national treasure, which once adorned Eden, the Hall of Paintings, of Horyu-ji Temple in Nara, was painted almost one thousand years ago, based on the legend of Prince Shotoku (574-622). Now, it has been captured in detail with an ultra-high-definition camera. Viewers can freely zoom in on the images by using a tablet and display them on an 8K monitor, vividly bringing the prince’s story to life.
Originals | By Hata no Chitei Heian period, Enkyuu 1(1069) Color on twill-weave silk / 10 panels Tokyo National Museum |
The National Treasure “Illustrated Biography of Prince Shotoku” (detail)
Each 1.9-by-1.5-meter painting in the illustrated biography was photographed in twenty-eight sections, which were then pieced back together to create 1.8 billion pixels of data. Viewers can quickly navigate the display by using a tablet, and enjoy 8K ultra-high definition even when zoomed in.