Named after the small red sticker that once guided scholars through legacy 35mm slides, The Red Dot is here to help you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of visual and material research. While rooted in the University of California, Santa Barbara community, our posts are open to all.
At MIRL, we engage with art history, digital humanities, and material culture through hands-on research and archival projects. Guided by our core principles—critical engagement with visual and material culture, ethical stewardship of images and data, and innovative approaches to research and pedagogy—we work at the intersection of technology and the humanities. We are especially interested in how digital tools can expand the study of images, objects, and spaces.
Here, we’ll share insights on Digital Art History and Architectural History, highlight new image and data resources, discuss copyright and ethical considerations, and spotlight events that shape our field.
The Red Dot © 2025 is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0
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Another Google Art initiative
Google has recently unveiled Google Open Gallery, created as part of the Google Cultural Institute. It allows users to create online exhibitions, in the manner of Omeka. It is targeted at museums and galleries, and has already partnered with the Getty and LACMA; however some of the sample galleries on their site have been created… Read more
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British Library releases over a million images on Flickr
Dubbing it “a million first steps,” the British Library announced they’ve posted over 1,000,000 images (1,019,991 to be precise) on their Flickr Commons account. As per the press release, these images are “for anyone to use, remix and repurpose. These images were taken from the pages of 17th, 18th and 19th century books digitised by Microsoft… Read more
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When an artist’s creativity peaks
In a recent paper published in Creativity Research Journal, economist P. H. Franses (Erasmus School of Economics, The Netherlands) studied “189 highest-priced works by as many modern art painters, comparing the moment of creation with their life span of these artists.” He concluded that this comparison shows each artist’s “optimal point in their lives” is… Read more
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“Best of Both Worlds” explores institutional efforts for open content
The Smithsonian unveiled a new free e-book, Best of Both Worlds: Museums, Libraries, and Archives in a Digital Age, by G. Wayne Clough, the Smithsonian’s 12th Secretary. The book explores “how digital technologies will radically alter our existing institutions, make access to their embedded knowledge widely available, and enable learning and research anytime, anywhere” and… Read more
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Newly restored & digitized Catacombs of Priscilla
The Catacombs of Priscilla in Rome have been closed for a five-year restoration, but it was worth the wait. Most articles announcing the unveiling include a photo gallery/slide show showing details of the restoration. Better still: visit Catacombe di Priscilla in Google Maps, where you experience the site courtesy of Street View. The most discussed… Read more
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Harry Ransom Center’s Digital Image Collection
The Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin has announced the launch of an expanded Online Digital Image Collection of selections from their holdings. The Harry Ransom Center has a significant digital presence — see what they offer by searching or browsing their finding aids. If your interested in or have questions… Read more