National Public Radio (NPR) Morning Edition
Featured Story on SoLux Light Bulbs -- Brenda Tromblay of member station WXXI reports from Rochester, New York on
the collaboration between an inventor and an art consultant that produced a new type of lighting for art galleries. The
Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, The National Gallery of
Art, Washington, and now the Los Angeles County Museum of
Art are all using the technique to illuminate its Impressionist paintings. Click here to listen to the report.
Timeline of events leading up to the development of 3500K SoLux Daylight Lamp and installation at the van Gogh Museum.
October 19, 1879 Edison makes the first incandescent light bulb
1941 Kruithof conducts study establishing the range of preferred color temperatures for various illumination levels. Predicts
most pleasing illumination for 20 foot-candles (museum lighting) in the range of 2700K-3800K.
1990 Davis and Ginther write paper in Journal of the Illuminating Engineering Society failing to confirm Kruithof's study. Study
uses fluorescent light of different color temperatures. Authors state, "The effect of color rendering, may be of more importance
than correlated color temperature…" (by nature fluorescent light can not achieve the high color rendering values of daylight)
1/7/92 Apparatus for Producing Light Distributions Granted to Kevin P. McGuire assigned to Tailored Lighting Inc. Device
allows user to mechanically create multiple daylight conditions (10,000K-2800K) while maintaining a relative constant
intensity. Trade name ColorView.
8/26/93 First specifications sent to coating manufacturer for production of reflector for SoLux. Lamp promises to provide the
closest simulation of daylight and highest color rendering of any artificial lighting source.
1/28/94 First SoLux daylight lamp assembled emits daylight spectrum.
3/22/94 Submittal of application: Kevin P.McGuire, Lamp for Producing a Daylight Spectrum. (SoLux)
7/5/94 McGuire meets with Laurene Bukley, former head Curator, and Candace Adelson, Curator of European Art,
Memorial Art Gallery. Multiple daylight conditions demonstrated with electronic version of ColorView technology and SoLux
on Monet's Waterloo Bridge, Veiled Sun, 1903.
8/16/94 Submittal of application: McGuire & Hagerman, Electronic Apparatus for Producing Variable Spectral Output. Trade
name SPLICE, ColorBar. Electronic version of ColorView technology
5/23/95 Lamp for Producing a Daylight Spectrum(SoLux). Granted to Kevin P. McGuire assigned to Tailored Lighting Inc.
First lamp to produce desired daylight spectrum.
11/9/95 McGuire sends SPLICE lightbooth (pre-ColorBar device) to Weintraub, President Art Preservation Services (APS),
enabling Weintraub to view painting under multiple daylighting conditions at illuminance levels used in museums.
1/25/96 Meeting at National Gallery of Art (NGA) during Vermeer exhibit. Philip Bradfield (TLI) brings ColorBar. Others
present Steven Weintraub (APS), Gordon Anson (NGA) . 3500K daylight chosen best for viewing paintings under low light
museum levels.
5/3/96 Specifications sent from TLI to manufacturer for production of 3500K, and 4100K SoLux.
10/29/96 Electronic Apparatus for Producing Variable Spectral Output. Granted to Kevin P. McGuire & Richard Hagerman,
assigned to Tailored Lighting Inc. Trade name SPLICE, ColorBar. Device allows user to create multiple daylight conditions.
Further refinement of original patent granted on 1-7-92 Utilizes SoLux as the daylight source.
9/20/97 First 3500K and 4100K samples available.
7/1/98 Memorial Art Gallery's 19th Century French Impressionist Gallery uses SoLux 3500K as its light source to illuminate
its paintings and sculptures. Grant Holcomb Director.
10/4/98 SoLux 3500K used to illuminate the van Gogh exhibit at the National Gallery of Art. Gordon Anson, Lighting
Director.
1/17/99 SoLux 3500K used to illuminate the van Gogh exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
1/1/2001 After seeing effect SoLux has on it's collection, Head of Exhibitions, Andreas Bluhm directs van Gogh Museum to convert all of its light fixtures to install SoLux.
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