The internet has certainly proven itself to be a fantastic conduit for showcasing diverse cultures and delivering every conceivable type of entertainment. Thanks to great platforms ranging from Netflix to Pandora and more, the world is exposed to an infinite choice of music, theater, social commentary and much more. Regardless of the languages spoken, the emotional messages do not require articulation to be understood. Yet, purely visual imagery is not always so easily communicated. How does one convey the context of a Jackson Pollock, for example? Can one truly appreciate the significance of a Picasso without having some pre-conceived understanding of Cubism?

Last week, a consortium of world-class museums, art historians and universities banded together to create Art.sy, a start-up website with an ambitious goal. The site was launched after years in development to bring fine art to populations around the globe. Investors, who raised millions of dollars, include household names from the art and tech world who shared this vision and put their money where their mouth is. To date, the visual contents collected include digitized art collections encompassing over 20,000 pieces...