Masterpieces become larger than life on Exeter Cathedral

Anyone passing through Cathedral Green this evening (8th February), between 4.30pm and 10pm, were treated to the vision of a diverse range of large paintings projected onto Exeter Cathedral.

This was not a stand-alone event, but one location in a line up of iconic buildings across the UK to have art projected upon them to celebrate the completion of a website showing the national collection of oil paintings. 

The projections mark the start of a month of exhibitions and events organised by the BBC and the Public Catalogue Foundation, who have created 'Your Paintings' in conjunction with participating collections and museums from across the UK.

"No other country has ever embarked on such a project to make accessible online its entire collection of oil paintings," said Andrew Ellis from the Public Catalogue Foundation.

More than 37,000 artists are represented on the website, with works ranging from Old Masters to works by leading contemporary painters.

The majority of the collection has never been photographed before, while around 30,000 paintings do not even have firm artist attributions.

Members of the public are invited to "tag" paintings in their local collections on the website, to help future users find paintings by subjects, themes and events of common interest.

For more information click here.