In 2014, visitors entering the Sistine Chapel will be greeted by a gleaming light, seeming to radiate from the chapel’s spectacular frescoes.
That impression will be achieved thanks to 7000 LEDs which will illuminate the Sistine Chapel beginning February 18, 2014, to coincide with the 450th anniversary of the death of Michelangelo.
The hue of the LEDs and the color spectrum were adapted with scientific rigor to the pigments of the paintings by Michelangelo and the other artists of the 15th century who worked on the chapel’s art. The precise orientation of the light will evenly illuminate the walls and the ceiling, without blinding the visitor.
The LEDs will be installed in a way as to recreate a natural light effect, and will be oriented to make it seem as though the light beam came directly from the windows. In addition to a better quality of lighting, the use of the LEDs will also ensure significant cost savings, with an estimated power consumption reduced by 60 percent.
