Unveiling Historical Depth: Semantic annotation of the Panorama of the Battle of Murten

Realized by Louis Braun (1836-1916) in 1893, the Panorama of the Battle of Murten stands as a cherished Swiss national treasure, commemorating the pivotal Swiss victory of 1476. Beyond its national significance, the panorama holds a prominent place in global visual heritage, particularly within the realms of art history and panoramic history. Remarkably, the Murten Panorama is a rare surviving example of a painted panorama depicting a medieval battle scene. While most military panoramas of the time focused on contemporary victories, this work provides a unique glimpse into the past. Additionally, it is the sole surviving panorama by Louis Braun, making it essential for the preservation of the artist's legacy. To achieve its immersive quality, Louis Braun and his associates conducted exhaustive historical research, delving into museum collections, illustrated chronicles, historical accounts, and field visits to craft a vivid portrayal of the medieval battle, transporting visitors back in time. The panorama's content is exceptionally rich, encompassing various elements such as geolocations, heraldic representations, historical characters, events, armaments, and costumes. This richness invites scholars from diverse disciplines, including art history, military history, and medieval studies, to explore its iconographic significance. To enhance the interpretation of the panorama's intricate visual content, we propose a deep semantic annotation approach for data curation, operating at the Point of Interest (POI) level. Leveraging Linked Open Data (LOD) technologies, we will develop an annotation ontology to facilitate the description and interpretation of the panorama using interoperable structured data. This annotation will be supported by a web-based platform we designed, featuring deep zoom capabilities, with the potential to evolve into a versatile tool for the curation of panoramic content.