The Painted Hall in the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich is an epic 18th-century masterpiece. Designed by Sir James Thornhill, the striking painting covers 40,000 square feet and depicts everything from monarchs to mythical creatures, totalling over 200 figures. The painting is a celebration of the United Kingdom, celebrating political stability, commercial prosperity and naval power.

In 2017 the Hall underwent a major conservation project. Sutton Vane Associates were commissioned to breathe new life into the painting through new lighting, that would reveal one of the most important baroque interiors in Europe, in its full glory

The project was challenging; the surface of the painting is covered in a very shiny gloss so lighting it in such a way where there were no reflections was crucial, as was ensuring the imposing architecture remained unobstructed from any fittings. Mark Sutton Vane applied his expertise and knowledge about lighting paintings and understanding reflections to create a highly successful scheme, that allows visitors to view the masterpiece without any reflections.

This is all whilst the fittings used remain hidden from view, leaving the grandeur of the space intact. Due to the nature and use of the Hall hosting a wide variety of different events, some tiny, discrete modern fittings are required, but these can be removed when needed.

The control was also carefully considered so that the lighting could adapt to the different uses of the hall. A range of preprogrammed scenes were created so that staff could quickly and easily adapt the space for different events at the touch of a button. A gentle glow was created for evening events; a bright scene for cleaning and a special scene for viewing the ceiling in all of its glory.

Alongside lighting the Hall, Sutton Vane Associates also lit the Undercroft and the surrounding spaces. In the Undercroft, it was important that the lighting followed the flow of the cross-vaulted ceiling so that it didn’t fight the architecture. SVA designed special pendants to hang in each bay that matched the curves of the architecture. The custom pendants not only provided light downward but also uplit the impressive ceiling revealing the hidden form. Furthermore, low-level lighting was specified to light the shop and café areas discreetly.