This paper discusses a work in progress, a 3D interactive model of Charles Willson Peale’s early 19th century museum of Natural History and Art. From 1802 -1827 the museum was housed in Independence Hall, the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the US Constitution (1787). The 3D model is informed by the 1822 watercolor, “The Long Room, Interior of Front Room in Peale’s Museum” by Charles Willson Peale and Titian Ramsay Peale, the oil painting, “The Artist in His Museum” by Charles Willson Peale, 1822, historical inventories and descriptive records in the archives of the American Philosophical Society, The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, The Library Company of Philadelphia and numerous scholarly published works. The paper highlights research and the production of 3D models of the museum’s silhouette portrait studio, the physiognotrace, the device used to make the silhouettes and an avatar for Moses Williams, the portrait cutter who operated the silhouette concession. The Williams model is based on his silhouette portrait and a painting by Rembrandt Peale for which Williams is believed the sitter. Moses Williams grew up as an enslaved youth in the Peale household. Historical records document his active participation in contributing to museum collections, and exhibits. Manumitted at the age of 27, Williams was given the silhouette studio concession in 1802. In its first year of operation Peale’s silhouette studio is estimated to have produced over 8,000 silhouettes contributing to the financial success of the museum. Despite his many and varied museum contributions, until recently, Williams has been given short shrift in published accounts of the museum’s development and importance. Producing his avatar and workspace will enable recognition of the contributions made by an African-American, to what was for a time, the largest museum in North America.
Glen Muschio, Associate Professor, Digital Media Department, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, Drexel University. Glen is a media producer/anthropologist with experience in traditional and new media production. Credits include work in corporate, community and educational media. He is the founding director of the Digital Media Program, launched the Certificate and Graduate Programs in Digital Media and served in various capacities as Program Director and Graduate Program Director for over a decade 1998- 2010. Glen’s current interests include the technological development, production and social uses of new media in matters of cultural heritage.
Dave Mauriello, Associate Professor, Digital Media Department, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, Drexel University. Dave teaches 3d modeling and animation foundations, character animation, rigging and organic modeling. His research is focused on character and anatomical modeling and animation. He is owner of Magic Animation, a custom 3D modeling and animation company founded in 1998 and a professional member of the Association of Medical Illustrators.
Nicholas Moy is a researcher, freelance animator and illustrator who graduated in 2021 from Drexel University with a B.S. in Animation and Visual Effects. In 2019 Nicholas was awarded a Pennoni Honors College STAR (Student’s Tackling Advanced Research) Scholar Award and worked with the Philadelphia Archeological Forum to produce a PSA that informed the public about Pennsylvania’s Archeology Month featuring newly discovered 18th and 19th century ceramic artifacts. The animated PSA appeared on the PECO tower’s Crown Lights and was viewed by an estimated 300,000 people in Philadelphia. Recent projects include the production of 3D models of the Silhouette Studio and associated assets for use in the Digital Peale Museum Project.
Tyrone Bullock Jr. is an Animator from the Philadelphia area completing his Bachelor of Science degree at Drexel University. He has a passion for storytelling and communication through animation, which he started expressing in his youth making videos for birthday celebrations and children’s book illustrations. His interest in developing digital projects with historical figures began in 2020 with a game project about Dr. May Chinn. It escalated with his participation in the Charles Willson Peale Museum project, creating a model of the profile-cutter Moses Williams. With a growth mindset he aims to represent the subjects of each project with the utmost authenticity, a mindset he intends to carry into his lifelong career. He enjoys discovering music of many varieties, listening to podcasts, and reading fictional and biographical novels.