The Uffizi

TheUffizi
Lightingdesigner:SoprintendenzaSpecialeperilPoloMusealeFiorentino,Arch.
AntonioGodoli
Photographer:ThomasMayer,Neuss
Place:Firenze
TheUffiziaccommodateoneofthefinestartcollectionsinthe
world.Themuseum’sexhibitionarchitectsandtechnicianshave
continuouslyworkedwithlightingequipmentfromERCOformany
yearsnow.
TheUffiziinFlorenceisoneofthebestknownmuseumsinthe
worldandonewiththelongesttradition.ThisRenaissancepalace
waserectedinthemid-16thcenturybythearchitectGiorgioVasari
(1511-1574)tocreateoffices(hence"Uffizi")forthecitystate
underCosimoI.deMedici.Butfromearliesttimes,thepatronsand
collectorsoftheMedicifamilystartedexhibitingtheirfinestpieces
ofartintheroomsonthetopfloor.Connectedbyacoveredwalk,
thesethusgavetoday’s"Gallery"itsdoublemeaning.
ThecollectionhousedintheUffiziincludesworld-famous
masterpieces,bothpaintingsandsculptures,fromtheAntiquityto
the18thcentury.ThefocalpointarepaintingsfromtheItalian
RenaissanceandtheBaroqueage.Thesearecomplementedbythe
surroundingarchitecturelavishlyadornedwithornamentsand
frescoes.
TheUffiziare,aswell,anarchitecturalmonumentofworld-renown
andamuseumwithseveralthousandvisitorsperday.Toensurethis
historicalmonumentiscontinuouslymaintainedandappropriately
modernisedunderthepreservationorder,aspecialarchitectural
departmenthasbeensetupaspartoftheFlorentineMuseum
Administration.Itsdesignersworkcloselywiththelighting
consultantsatERCOItaly.ForthenewlightingoftheNioberoom,
theyoptedforParscanspotlightsforlow-voltagehalogenlamps
QT1275WandParscoopfloodlightsforhalogenlampsQT-DE
300W,mountedonthecircumferentialcornicetoshowoffto
advantagetherichlyornamenteddomes.
ThehighlightofthecollectionintheUffiziistheBotticelliroom.It
housesalargepartofthemostfamousworksofRenaissancepainter
SandroBotticelli(1445-1510),including"TheSpring"and"The
BirthofVenus".Complementingthedaylightcominginthrougha
narrowstripwindowbetweenwallandroof,thewallsurfaceswith
paintingsareevenlyilluminated.Here,thedesignersoptedforOptec
wallwashersonsuspendedHi-tractracks.Toensureoutstanding
colourrendition,thehalogenlampsinthewallwashersalternate
withcompactfluorescentlamps.
TheFirstandSecondCorridoroftheUffizisimultaneouslyserveasa
sculpturegallery.Originallyilluminatedpurelybydaylightfallingin
throughlargewindowsfacingontothePiazzaledegliUffizi,the
gallerieshavenowbeenprovidedwithaverydiscreetartificial
lightingsystem.Thisisinconspicuouslymountedinandabovethe
casementwindows,fromwhereiteffectivelyshedslightonthe
magnificentlypaintedceilingcoffers.Thelightingtechnologyis
derivedfromtheERCOMonopollwallwasherluminairesfor
fluorescentlamps,usedhereasceilingwashlights.
Address:
PiazzaledegliUffizi
50122Firenze
Italy
Telephone:+39(0)552388651
Fax:+39(0)552388694
E-mail:direzione.uffizi(at)polomuseale.firenze.it
www.polomuseale.firenze.it/english/musei/uffizi/
Openingtimes:
Tue-Sun8.15am-6.50pm,Monclosed
Constructionperiod:1559-approx.1581
Architects:GiorgioVasari,BernardoBuontalentiandAlfonsoParigi
theYounger