Every year Focus on the collection, an activity exclusively for Friends, turns its attention to a specific aspect of the museum’s collections with the aim of discovering them in greater depth. In this new edition we will be looking at the representation and use of light in paintings over the centuries.

Starting with medieval art and the symbolic nature of the colour gold characteristic of that period and concluding with avant-garde artists’ investigations into the irradiation of light, this survey will focus on significant moments such as the Renaissance use of a neutral light filtered by clouds; the theatrical effect of chiaroscuro in the 17th century; the Impressionist interest in effects of light; and the impact on art of the invention of electric light in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

For all those unable to attend in person there will be an online guided tour on 5 June and the option to follow the in-gallery tours in a virtual manner via Second Canvas. Thanks to its ultra-high resolution technology, this resource enables users to appreciate a remarkable level of detail in the paintings.