The fifteenth century painting, the Lamentation of Christ, needed restoration. This masterpiece of the Flemish painter Rogier van der Weyden is the oldest painting in the collection of the Mauritshuis. The best way to communicate about the restoration, the painting and its history was to engage the visitor in the process by restoring the painting live. Together with the Mauritshuis and OPERA Amsterdam, Studio Louter created the exhibition’s concept and storyline. By restorating the painting live it’s beauty, refinement and the artist’s skill could get all the attention they deserved. A life-size interactive touchscreen enabled the visitor to zoom in on the painting to see everything to the smallest detail and scroll through different layers. Studio Louter also created the background information screens and a film in which the restorers tell about their interesting work and thoughts on restoring.

Visitors could experience the exposition while the restorers were working, but also when they were not working the installation was attracting the viewer because of the interactive presentation and the film about the process. This flexibility was a requirement because the restorers couldn’t naturally be at work during the whole day, and it was a welcome gift to the museum and the visitor. A lot of people revisited the museum to keep track of the progress.