Getting a close-up look at the world’s great paintings and witnessing the masterpieces of the old masters will set you back a fair amount of money — but now you can get up close and personal with 14 world-famous paintings for free in a virtual gallery on Google Earth.
A newly added layer in Google Earth showcases 14 world-class masterpieces from Spain’s Prado Museum by famous painters such as the Dutch artists Rubens and Rembrandt. Every painting is displayed in ultra-high resolution — you can even see the sweep of the brush, the weave of the canvas, or the fine cracks that have formed on the surface over the years.
Open Google Earth, check “3d Buildings” (3D building models) under “Layers” in the bottom-left corner, then expand Geographic Web - Places - Preview - Museo Prado (Prado Museum) in turn, and you’ll arrive at the famous Prado Museum in Spain.
More info: http://googlechinablog.com/2009/01/blog-post_16.html