“Many of those who have come to wonder at our Saints in Colour Project remark on seeing them for the first time as human beings, just like us, and how inspiring that is to think of the good we can each achieve through our lives for others.’
Dean of St Albans, Jo Kelly Moore
St Albans Cathedral has used new technology to restore colour to its 15th-century Wallingford Screen and the lives and stories of the saints upon it to honour the original monks’ intention who saw it as “a mirror of the divine kingdom”.
The Cathedral has worked in close partnership with Hogarth, a WPP agency, to explore ground-breaking techniques including using the latest technology from Panasonic and Epic Games, to bring history to life.
Cutting-edge scanning and projection techniques using Reality Capture software has brought the Wallingford Screen, the 15th-century high altar screen, and 19th-century statues upon it into sharp focus with a 3D scan and re-colourisation to within one millimetre accuracy.
The colourisation is based on historic research by Dr James Alexander Cameron to better reflect the origins of the saints. The colours have been produced by artist, Amara Por Dios and the technology used helped train apprentices in WPP’s Creative Technology Apprenticeship programme which aims to diversify the emerging technology workforce.
The Dean of St Albans, the very Revd Jo Kelly Moore said:
“The lighting of our High Altar screen in full colour has brought to life in a new way the lives and stories of global and local saints.”
The medieval high altar screen was built in the 1480s and restored 400 years later by the Victorian sculptor Harry Hems.
The Dean continued:
“Speaking to some of the thousands who have come to wonder at our ‘Saints in Colour’ project, many remark on seeing them for the first time as human beings just like us and how inspiring that is to think of the good we can each achieve through our lives for others.’
Comments from visitors on social media include:
‘It’s a sight to behold’, ‘A must visit’, ‘Jaw dropping’, ‘Absolutely incredible to see, a triumph’, ‘Seen this in real life and it’s stunning, definitely go and see it yourself if you get the chance’.
A special All Saints Choral Evensong will take place in front of the Saints In Colour Project with the Girl Choristers and starts at 5pm. All are welcome.
All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallows’ Day, or the Feast of All Saints, is kept in honour of all the saints of the Church, known and unknown.
