Andrew Tallon
Andrew J. Tallon | |
|---|---|
| Born | Andrew J. Tallon March 12, 1969 Leuven, Belgium |
| Died | November 16, 2018 (aged 49) |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Alma mater | Columbia University |
| Occupation | art historian |
| Known for | Computer Mapping the Notre-Dame de Paris |
| Spouse | Marie Tallon-Daudruy |
| Children | 4 |
Andrew J. Tallon (12 March 1969 – 16 November 2018) was an art historian. He used lasers to create a precise model of Notre-Dame de Paris, among other buildings.
Early life and education
Andrew Tallon was born on 12 March 1969 in Leuven, Belgium to mother Mary Beth Tallon Vander Vennet and father Andrew F. Tallon.[1] In the fourth grade, Tallon lived in Paris while his mother worked on a dissertation in theater history. He attended high school in the US, graduating from Shorewood High School in Wisconsin.[2] Tallon attended Princeton University for his undergraduate studies where he earned a degree in music[1] in 1991.[2] While enrolled, however, he took every class taught by Robert Mark—an engineer specializing in Gothic architecture and construction. He received an MA at Paris-Sorbonne University[1] and a PhD at Columbia University under the advisement of Stephen Murray, an art historian.[3]
Career
Beginning in 2007, Tallon worked at Vassar College in the Department of Art.[4] Tallon described himself as "obsessed" with Notre-Dame de Paris. He used laser scanners to map the interior of the Notre-Dame, as well as 45 other historical buildings.[3] Tallon began scanning Notre-Dame in 2010 with Paul Blaer, going over the interior and exterior of the building. All told, they repositioned the scanner fifty times for comprehensive detail, resulting in over one billion points of data.[5] After the Notre-Dame de Paris fire in 2019, Tallon's work mapping the building's interior was cited as a potential resource for planned reconstruction.[6]
Tallon was a member of the Society of Architectural Historians from 2006 to 2017.[1]
Awards and honors
Tallon contributed to a television documentary called Building the Great Cathedrals which first aired on Nova (part of PBS) in 2010. The program received two Emmy nominations: for Outstanding Science and Technology Programming, and for Outstanding Cinematography, News Coverage/Documentaries.[7]
Later life and death
Tallon died of brain cancer[5] on 16 November 2018 at his home in Poughkeepsie, New York.[4]
Personal life
Tallon was married to Marie Tallon-Daudruy and had four children.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Obituary: Prof. Andrew J. Tallon, 1969-2018". Society of Architectural Historians. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ a b "Andrew J. Tallon '91". Princeton Alumni Weekly. 10 April 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ a b Hartigan Shea, Rachel (22 June 2015). "Historian uses lasers to unlock mysteries of Gothic cathedrals". National Geographic. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ a b Bradley, Elizabeth H. "Passing of Andrew Tallon". Vassar. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ a b Madrigal, Alexis C. (April 2019). "The Images That Could Help Rebuild Notre-Dame Cathedral". The Atlantic. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ Hruska, Joel (15 April 2019). "Notre Dame Is Burning. A Digital Archive Could Hold the Key to Restoring It". Extreme Tech. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ "Building the Great Cathedrals Nominated for Two Emmy Awards". Columbia University. Retrieved 16 April 2019.