How to light a painting

Decorative features such as sculptures, plants and paintings add depth and sophistication to your home. Paintings in particular are highly prized for their chic, refined and timeless appeal. To bring out their beauty, good lighting is essential. However, with so many lighting products on the market, it can be hard to choose the right one for lighting a painting at home. There are a few factors to consider before you even choose the right type of lighting.

The size of the painting

The first thing to consider when choosing picture lighting is the size of the painting. If your painting is relatively small, a picture light is more than enough. You can choose from picture lights with LED, fluorescent or halogen bulbs. For a much wider painting, however, it is best to light it with track spotlights mounted high up. The main advantage of track spotlights is that they give a much more even, less harsh light while preventing shadows from forming on the painting. This lighting solution also works well for a series of paintings hung side by side. Every detail, every line and every colour of the painting is perfectly revealed. When buying a light fitting, make a note of the size of your painting so you don’t choose a fitting that is too small or too large.

Where the painting hangs

Whether in a bedroom, living room or even a hallway, where the painting hangs also plays a big part in choosing the right lighting. In a bedroom, for example, a painting looks perfect hung near the bed, about thirty centimetres above the bedside table. That way, it benefits from the soft, warm light of the bedside lamp below. In a living room, on the other hand, a painting usually hangs on a wall near the armchair or sofa, at eye level. It can then be lit either by a wall light or by a table lamp. Finally, paintings are also often hung along hallway walls, in a row or alongside other artworks and decorative objects. In this case, recessed ceiling spotlights are ideal for showing off the painting. Whichever room the painting hangs in, it is important to take into account the lighting already in place (pendants, floor lamps, table lamps, wall lights, etc.). For example, if the room’s main light is badly angled, the painting could be left partly in shadow, which would spoil its appeal.

Keep it out of direct daylight

When deciding where to hang your painting, it is essential that it is not exposed to direct daylight. Natural light gives off UV and IR rays which, over time, alter a painting’s colours and texture. Choose walls at right angles to bay windows and windows, and fit protection such as curtains or a blind. This extra precaution will help preserve the painting’s colours.

Colour temperature and CRI

Like natural light, lamps have a colour temperature that can either help preserve the canvas or damage it. That is why lighting should be chosen according to the colour temperature it gives off, depending on the age of the painting. For modern or recently restored paintings, the ideal colour temperature is 4,000 K, giving a neutral white. For older paintings, choose a softer 3,000 K colour temperature with a slightly yellow tone. Beyond these values, you risk distorting the painting’s colours or even damaging them over time. Alongside colour temperature, the Colour Rendering Index, or CRI, is also an excellent guide when choosing lighting for a painting. The higher the index, the better the colours are revealed and enhanced. So choose fittings with a CRI of 80 or more to light your paintings.

The different types of picture lighting

Once you have taken all the factors above into account, you can choose from the following types of picture lighting:

•   Picture lights: designed specifically for lighting paintings, these wall lights have a sleek, elegant design and light the canvas perfectly from above. A picture light casts indirect light at a 30° angle, creating an understated, elegant effect. For a picture light, choose LED lamps or fluorescent tubes, bearing in mind the size of the painting.
•   Table lamps: if your painting hangs above a table, a desk or near a shelf, a table lamp is perfect for lighting it. Here again, choose LED bulbs with a colour temperature of between 3,000 K and 4,000 K to show your painting at its best.
•   Spotlight tracks : mounted on the ceiling, track spotlights spread light over a wide area towards the painting. This zone lighting eliminates shadows and reflections that can spoil the beauty of the painting. Spotlights are usually dimmable, giving you plenty of control. For a lighting distance of 2 m to 2.5 m, choose 12 W spotlights with a beam angle of 10° to 15°.
•   Recessed spotlights: very discreet and modern, recessed spotlights can provide focused lighting as well as individual lighting for the painting, thanks to their adjustable head. Their great advantage is that they can light a painting just as well from the ceiling as from the floor. For lighting from the floor, a beam angle of 10° to 20° at a distance of 50 cm from the painting is recommended. The results are simply stunning and bring style and sophistication back into your home.
•   Freestanding spotlights: available in many designs, freestanding spotlights are an excellent choice for lighting a painting from close range. Again, a beam angle of 10° from the centre of the painting should be used.
•   Floor lamps: highly decorative and contemporary, a floor lamp gives off a soft, pleasant light that shows off not only the painting but the whole room it stands in. Available in many styles (industrial, rustic, classic, neo-retro, etc.), a floor lamp adds depth and beauty to your interior while doing a perfect job as a functional light. It can also serve as a decorative feature in the room or space where your paintings hang.
•   LED strips: fitted into the picture frame, an LED strip creates a halo of light for very elegant and practical indirect lighting. This type of lighting adds a modern, innovative touch while bringing out the colours and patterns of a painting.
•   Framing projectors: also known as framing spotlights or “Wendel eyes”, framing projectors are the ideal lighting device for illuminating a painting. Widely used in museums and at exhibition openings, a framing projector gives off a soft, even light that makes it look as if the light is coming from the painting itself. It draws all your guests’ attention to the painting, revealing every detail of the work. A framing projector can be installed in the ceiling or concealed in a piece of furniture. As it is a highly technical and particularly delicate lighting device, a framing projector must be installed by a professional.

Choose LED bulbs

For lighting a painting, LED bulbs have many advantages over other conventional bulbs. First, LED bulbs give off no heat, which helps preserve the painting. Second, LED bulbs last much longer than halogen bulbs, from 2 to 5 years. Third, LED bulbs offer an excellent colour rendering index (CRI), reaching 98 on the best-performing models. Fourth, an LED bulb uses up to 80% less energy than a conventional bulb. Last but not least, an LED bulb gives off no UV or IR rays, keeping the colours and canvas of the painting safe. As well as being economical, LED bulbs provide light that is diffuse enough to light a painting effectively, and they last for years. They are therefore the ideal light source for lighting your paintings economically, sustainably and with respect for the environment.