In a move which brings Michelangelo’s extraordinary fresco to vibrant life like never before, the Vatican has unveiled a new lighting system at the Sistine Chapel in Rome.

Mounted on a rail system located on the upper walls of the chapel, the bespoke installation created by Osram employs over 7,000 LEDs. The net effect is to show the Renaissance Master’s muscular nudes in an almost three-dimensional context. The lighting has been designed to ensure minimum impact on the degradation of the artwork, and will achieve massive energy efficiencies by using 90% less electricity than the previous system.

By introducing improved lighting and greater access to digital information prior to a visit, the Vatican is hoping to limit the duration of visits to the Chapel in order to achieve a cap of 20,000 visitors a day. About 6 million tourists a year view the Chapel, and for the first time ever, according to Director of the Vatican Museums Antonio Paolucci, the Vatican is looking for “zero growth” in visitor numbers.

Sources:

1. BBC:
   Newly-lit Sistine Chapel is unveiled in Rome.
2. The Guardian:
   Sistine Chapel revived by cutting-edge lighting and air conditioning.