Monday 21st February 2011
Digital sculpture of Watt
The Herald
A previously unseen sculpture of one of the Industrial Revolution’s greatest engineers has been created using 3D technology.
A bust of Scottish inventor James Watt has been created from a mould dating back to 1807, discovered in his workshop during preparations for a new exhibition on his life.
The Greenock-born engineer is recognised worldwide for his pioneering work on the steam engine which helped transform Britain from cottage and craft production into an industrial powerhouse.
The complex plaster mould used for the bust is one of 26 which fill the shelves of Watt’s preserved workshop, many still tied up in their original string. While preparing for the exhibition at the Science Museum in London, conservators examined each mould in turn, taking them to pieces to scrutinise the detail inside.
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