WIREDGOV

Michelangelo’s wonderful paintings in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel are getting a second life thanks to a revolutionary new Light Emitting Diode (LED) system, funded by an EU research project called LED4ART. The 7,000 diodes of the installation mean Michelangelo's frescoes can be seen as never before: some can now be seen in three dimensions from the floor level for the first time, and all can be viewed more precisely. The new system saves 60% on energy costs and emissions, and the gentler technology reduces the ageing of the painting compared to the old system.

European Commission Vice President @NeelieKroesEU, responsible for the Digital Agenda, said: "Art exists to inspire us and illuminate our minds. Now that we have illuminated the Sistine Chapel with LED, Michelangelo's art can fulfil this role even more than it has up until now throughout history." (read her SPEECH/14/728 at the Sistine Chapel – to be published on 30 October)

Mourad Boulouednine, LED4ART project coordinator from OSRAM (@OsramCOM), said: "This has been a massive challenge for the entire consortium! We achieved a perfect match of the lighting spectrum with the coloured pigments of the art works to create the best possible visual experience. In addition, the solution will be significantly more energy efficient than the previous lighting system and will not harm these masterworks. All in all, these are fantastic results and all of us are very proud."

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