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DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND TRADITIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP TO DOCUMENTING THE EPHEMERAL. THE DIGITAL MODEL OF AN ARTIFACT DESTINED FOR DESTRUCTION: THE CARRO TRIONFALE OF THE MADONNA DELLA BRUNA IN MATERA, ITALY
Abstract
Culture, art, faith, and popular tradition come together every year on July 2nd in the extraordinary setting of Matera, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Southern Italy. The Feast of the Madonna della Bruna, the Patroness of the city, is a centuries-old celebration that exemplifies both tangible and intangible heritage. Central to the event is the grand Triumphal Cart: an elaborate machine in papier-mache that carries in procession the statue of the Madonna. Each year, this baroque work of art is newly created by local artisans only to be destroyed by the crowd at the climax of the festivities, an act rich with symbolic and apotropaic meaning. This study addresses the challenge of preserving and disseminating knowledge about such ephemeral cultural artifacts. Digital technologies, particularly photogrammetry, offer innovative means to document, archive, and share its artistic and cultural significance. The research aims to investigate how photogrammetric documentation can serve as both a preservation tool and a medium for enhancing public engagement with intangible heritage. Using high-resolution image capture and 3D reconstruction workflows, the author produced detailed digital models of the 2022 and 2023 Triumphal Carts. These models were analyzed to assess accuracy, aesthetic fidelity, and their potential applications in virtual exhibitions and educational contexts. By combining traditional craftsmanship with digital innovation, this research highlights a productive intersection between visual arts and heritage science.
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References10
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