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The Tate Online is an example of how a museum can use digital resources to provide greater access to their collections, in addition to a range of digital creations like podcasts and videos. In my study of the Tate’s site, I focused on the Works in Focus section with specific attention to Millais’ Ophelia. The in-depth analysis of the painting is divided into different sections: introduction, working pratice, materials and technique, conservation and technique, Ophelia’s travels, subject and meaning, J.E. Millais, and a quiz. Each subheading provides greater information on the work through the use of primary sources and the knowledge of art conservators. The creators of this online work place the painting in a historical context and show how there is substanial information in both the seen and unseen. For example,the section, Back of the Painting examines how the back of the canvas provides a history of the work from the canvas shop to the different museums that held the work at one time or another. All the information the different sections provided shows the importance of the work as well as created an interest (for me) to see the actual physical painting.
In “Visual Velcro: Hooking the Visitor” Peter Samis argues the purpose of interpretation is “to give cognitive hooks to the hookless” to grab and hold the attention of visitors. In addition, he argues that the more you know and understand about a certain work, the more you can learn. Through my exploration of the Tate’s site on Ophelia, I learned a substantial amount of information about the multiple sides of a work of art: the artist, the model, the critics, and the conservators. Although the site is very informative, it does take a good deal of time to read each section and subsection. The writing, however, is very accessible to a general audience even with a limited knowledge of art and conservation techniques. The question that this study raises is how can this information be successfully transmitted to those who are physically viewing the work in the museum? It seems an issue with art is that many people who view the works forget that they were products of a specific time period and reflect historical trends. By separating the works from the historical context, people can lose a way to connect the work to its broader meaning. Maybe if works of art were placed in a historical context, like Ophelia, museum visitors will have a greater connection to the art and view it in a different way that expands their understanding of the world.
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