PROJECT MAURITSHUIS ART MUSEUM, THE HAGUE

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PROJECT MAURITSHUIS ART MUSEUM, THE HAGUE
November 2014
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PROJECT
Masters
of light
The new lighting installation at the Mauritshuis
art museum in The Hague has been created to
reduce heat levels and improve visibility of the
collection. Nadine Buddoo takes a look at the
LED scheme that has transformed the gallery
T
he Mauritshuis – or Maurice House in English – is a
classical art gallery in The Hague, the Netherlands.
Originally the residence of John Maurice, Count of
Nassau-Siegen, until his death in 1679, the building now houses
masterpieces from some of the world’s greatest artists, including
Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt van Rijn.
The increasing popularity of these painters has resulted
in a greater number of visitors to the Mauritshuis, making it
important for the gallery to look at ways to reduce the heat load
in the area. In this 17th-century building, however, there was
insufficient space to expand the air-conditioning system – so
changing the lighting was a more practical solution.
Despite this decision, the lighting designer for the project,
Hans Wolff of Hans Wolff and Partners, was unsure whether
a change to LED was the right solution for the gallery. “At the
start of the design process, we were not convinced we would
guarantee the same quality with LED lighting. In the museums
with LED lighting that the Mauritshuis [management team]
and I visited, most of the time the quality of the light filled us

with horror.
Photo: Ronald Tilleman (Mauritshuis, The Hague)
PROJECT DETAILS
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CLIENT THE MAURITSHUIS
LIGHTING DESIGN HANS WOLFF AND PARTNERS
ARCHITECT HANS VAN HEESWIJK ARCHITECTS
MAIN CONTRACTOR KONINKLIJKE WOUDENBERG
SUPPLIERS LIGHT PROJECTS, SORAA, XICATO
November 2014
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Photo: Ivo Hoekstra (Mauritshuis, The Hague)
PROJECT MAURITSHUIS ART MUSEUM, THE HAGUE
Hidden gems Following the LED upgrade at the art museum, the technique and colours in Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring
can now be viewed with greater clarity
“It was decided to use the best lighting available at that time –
low-voltage halogen – and to investigate during the construction
process whether there was a suitable LED alternative available.”
Over a period of two years, with much consultation with the
international lighting industry, Wolff and the Mauritshuis team of
curators and restorers investigated the LED solutions available.
Optimum visibility
Mauritshuis’ senior curator Quentin Buvelot says: “In my
opinion, lighting systems can make or break any museum
presentation. People should feel welcome in the museum
galleries and be able to see the internationally renowned
collection to its best advantage.”
Many of the paintings on display, including Vermeer’s Girl
with a Pearl Earring and The Goldfinch by Carel Fabritius,
feature intricate details that are only visible under the right
lighting. Focused on providing optimum visibility of the
collection, the team looked at LED light sources from a variety
of manufacturers and conducted tests at the museum using real
items from the collection.
November 2014
“Most of the available LED light
sources scored poorly during the
research for the spectral composition
of light and were unsuitable for
museum use,” explains Wolff.
The team finally settled on LED
solutions from two manufacturers:
Xicato and Soraa. The Xicato Artist
Series 2,700K was selected for the
primary lighting in the gallery, while the Soraa Vivid MR16
2,700K was chosen for the shop area. Wolff then looked at which
luminaires would be the best selection for the project. He says:
“There were about ten manufacturers who designed track spots
with changeable reflectors and the necessary accessories around
the selected Xicato light source. All these spots were sampled
and subjected to a series of technical tests.
“Eventually, we were left with products from two
manufacturers which were, technically, equivalent. These
products were extensively tested and those from Light Projects
were chosen based on the design of the luminaire. The elegant
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Photo: Ronald Tilleman (Mauritshuis, The Hague)
PROJECT
Sources for courses The Xicato Artist Series 2,700K module has been used throughout the gallery
(above and right) and the Soraa Vivid MR16 2,700K was selected for the shop area
Photo: Ivo Hoekstra (Mauritshuis, The Hague)
design of these spots was better suited to the interior of the halls
than the more technical spot from the other manufacturer.”
The galleries of the Mauritshuis are now completely fitted
out with the all-LED lighting system and Light Project’s ArtLED
fixtures. Q-Cat, the lighting distributor for the project, supplied
the ArtLED self-dimming fittings so the intensity of light can be
tuned on a fixture-by-fixture basis.
A key feature of the fittings is the changeable reflectors. Two
identical ArtLED fittings can each produce a totally different
distribution of light by using reflectors with varying degrees. For
example, one fitting can produce a 14-degree spot of light or, 
“Visitors have the impression
that the paintings were cleaned
during the museum’s restoration
and the light level has been
increased – both are untrue”
Hans Wolff, Hans Wolff and Partners
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November 2014
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PROJECT MAURITSHUIS ART MUSEUM, THE HAGUE
Perfect fit The ArtLED
fixtures were supplied
in different colours to
complement the decor.
Lighting designer Hans
Wolff felt that the “elegant
design” of Light Projects’
fittings were in keeping
with the Mauritshuis
interior. The ArtLED
Honeycombe Louvre
(pictured in black)
was used extensively to
reduce glare
Picture perfect The ArtLED self-dimming fittings allow the light intensity to be tuned on a fixtureby-fixture basis to make sure that each and every painting, sculpture and artefact is displayed to
optimum effect
with a change of reflector, a wall-wash effect can be created. All
of the 1,300 lm Xicato LED modules emit a colour temperature
of 2,700K and are powered by a 1,050mA driver. The fixtures
have been installed in white, and a custom grey finish.
Buvelot is impressed with the result: “With the newly installed
LED lighting system, every detail of the paintings can be seen
by our visitors, who love what they see, while the warmth of the
halogen lighting is still there.
“All of us who work at the Mauritshuis hope that many
generations to come will enjoy this inspiring place.”
Wolff can also attest to the pleasing results: “Visitors have
the impression that all the paintings were cleaned during
the restoration of the museum and that the light level has
been increased – both are untrue. The light levels are set at a
maximum of 150 lux, sometimes less. Because of the superb
colour of the total spectrum, the paintings seem much brighter
and free of haze.”
So, although Wolff was not initially convinced it would be
possible to find a suitable LED solution for the Mauritshuis, he
admits the final result has changed that opinion: “I am extremely
satisfied with the quality of the lighting. Not only are the reds
displayed perfectly – a problem with most LED light sources – but
the display of green and blue shades is also amazing.” 
Photos: Ronald Tilleman (Mauritshuis, The Hague)
Photo: Ivo Hoekstra (Mauritshuis, The Hague)
A FINE ART
The Mauritshuis is renowned for its collection from the Dutch
Golden Age. Its decadent silk-lined walls form the perfect
backdrop for more than 200 works from the Dutch Masters
November 2014
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