We’re excited to present the newly digitised 3D model of the Fountain of the Three Carniolan Rivers, offering a rare opportunity to explore one of Ljubljana’s most iconic Baroque landmarks in unprecedented detail.
How We Scanned It
Behind the 3D model of the Robba Fountain lies a carefully planned digitisation process tailored to the immense scale and material complexity of the sculpture. Our goal was not only to create a visually engaging model, but also to produce an accurate digital record suitable for research, conservation, and public presentation.
The Fountain of the Three Carniolan Rivers - National Gallery of Slovenia
The original fountain, carved between 1743 and 1751 by the master sculptor Francesco Robba, required a high-resolution workflow to capture its dynamic figures and diverse stone materials. Crafted from Podpeč stone, Lesno Brdo stone, and Carrara marble, the masterpiece features three male figures atop a dodecagonal base, pouring water from vessels amidst subtle details like vines and sea creatures.
We used a hybrid approach combining structured light scanning and photogrammetry. All physically accessible parts of the fountain were captured using the Artec Leo 3D scanner, ensuring high geometric accuracy. For areas that were not reachable with handheld scanning—such as the upper sections of the central obelisk—we employed photogrammetry based on high-resolution photographs taken with a Canon EOS R5 Mark II and an iPhone 15.
While the scanners captured the form, the final texture of the 3D model was created exclusively from the photographic data, ensuring that every vein in the marble and detail in the stone surface was faithfully recorded.
From Physical Object to Digital Model
Due to the large amount of collected data and the sheer scale of the fountain, the datasets were processed using Artec Studio and Agisoft Metashape. This process allowed us to align and clean the geometry, resulting in a detailed and coherent digital representation.
These digital surrogates allow users to examine the sculpture from angles that are not possible in a museum display—offering a closer look at the 18th-century craftsmanship that originally stood at the heart of Town Square before its move to the National Gallery in 2006.
The final result is an interactive 3D model, viewable online and in augmented reality (AR), allowing the fountain to be viewed in space at its real scale.
Explore the model [here]!