iGuzzini has now made the artist’s most famous marble sculpture gleam with a new light

As part of the works conducted by the Fabric of Saint Peter for the 2025 Jubilee, Michelangelo’s Pietà has been the subject of multiple projects aimed at rewarding the devotion of pilgrims and visitors with an optimal visual experience of this icon of the Virgin Mary and improving its safety and stability.

As well as replacing the glass window protecting the work, a new lighting design, conceived by lighting designers Guido Bianchi and Nicoletta Rossi has been installed and entirely sponsored by IGuzzini Illuminazione, the Recanati-based company responsible for the previous lighting system mounted in 2018. Respecting Michelangelo’s wishes – who, at the end of the 1400s, studied the light factor very carefully and smoothed the surfaces of his masterpiece so meticulously just a few candles would make them shine – iGuzzini has now made the artist’s most famous marble sculpture gleam with a new light.

Cristiano Venturini, CEO iGuzzini Illuminazione «Illuminating masterpieces like Michelangelo’s Pietà is an honour for those who, like us at iGuzzini, believe that beauty and culture are at the heart of social innovation. Thanks to the new project it will be possible to admire this sculptural unicum even in its most imperceptible nuances, enhancing every movement, every detail sculpted by the great Renaissance master. The new lighting system also makes an improved contribution in terms of sustainability; not only lighting excellence, but also a responsible choice for the future. »

In fact, the Pietà is now lit with iGuzzini’s new Sipario floodlight, a luminaire specifically designed to meet the lighting requirements of artworks, museum spaces, cultural venues and theatres. Characterised by its lightness, compact size, low consumption, integrated smart technology and easy-to-replace components, Sipario is fitted with patented Opti Beam Reflector optics, designed and produced in-house by iGuzzini. Uniting photometric performance with exclusive quality emissions, these optics create a sharp, clean beam of light with no double-ring effect. The result is a balanced, calibrated play of light beams that emphasises details with the utmost precision while simultaneously rendering the wonder of the artwork in its entirety and with all its profound meaning.

The technological solution

Sipario is a floodlight that offers performance levels specifically designed for use in the cultural sphere. Developed in line with the conviction that adopting sustainable solutions in museum lighting has a positive impact on the environment, the luminaire improves both the overall visitor experience and the conservation of the works on display. Designed to be sustainable, easy to disassemble and lightweight, Sipario is made from mass balanced, recycled and recyclable materials. LED and driver maintenance is also facilitated thanks to openings in both the front and back. Consumption is low, too, thanks to the efficiency of its patented Optibeam optics, lenses and refractors, which are also interchangeable.

All the CRI97 and Step Mac Adam 2 versions enhance every nuance of what is being viewed and maintain it over time, a feature that is fundamental when lighting pictorial works. The option of mounting up to three internal and one external accessory simultaneously and the push&go system (patent pending) make on-site testing extremely easy. And the luminaire’s manual dimmers and graduated bracket offer further fine-tuning to ensure a truly perfect effect. The Push&Go system is activated by a single lever which, with a simple touch, prevents the optical elements and multiple accessories from falling.

Connectivity

Sipario allows main wireless technologies to be used even with Casambi and ORT sensors, as well as offering smart services, like push notifications. In the case of Saint Peter’s Basilica, DALI protocol-based wired technology has been used to manage the system.

The lighting design

For this project that uses a new luminaire, the Lighting Designers Guido Bianchi and Nicoletta Rossi were once again commissioned to test the implementation and ensure the new system complied with the project they perfected in 2018. This sought to create a consistent overall vision that would allow visitors to see and enjoy at length the expressive intensity of every detail in this masterpiece. This required a measured and composed lighting design that would illuminate the contours of the sculpture and the glow of the marble.

In this case too, the Sipario floodlights, all DALI-controlled, are divided into groups that can be switched on separately. This means the levels of light intensity emitted can be calibrated in order to create different lighting scenarios in line with a range of visual requirements and tasks that may change over time. Everything is managed by a KNX control system. The luminaires are positioned on vertically installed electrified tracks located on either side of the pilasters facing the sculpture, and the 4 cardinal point scenarios in the previous design have been re-created.

The new lighting design helps the viewer to better appreciate the masterpiece, while also highlighting its theological elements and devotional character so it can be fully understood.

iGuzzini