Working with Toshiba, the Louvre has recently completed an upgrade to the Mona Lisa’s lighting. It will ensure the museum’s guests will be able to experience the painting as it was intended to be — no matter the time of day or what else is going on nearby.
Concealed in a shelf near the painting is a custom lamp designed by Toshiba that uses 34 individual LED bulbs with precise spectrum controls allowing the museum’s curators to adjust and perfect the light hitting the painting. The lamp also compensates for the colour shift caused by the Mona Lisa’s protective covering, so that the colours visitors see are true to the colours da Vinci originally used.
The lamp also eliminates harmful UV and IR radiation that can damage the masterpiece and will probably save the Louvre a few bucks on its monthly power bills. [YouTube via Fareastgizmos]