The National Gallery in London’s Room 32, its largest room, has closed for renovation work for more than a year following a £4m (US$5.2m, €4.5m) donation from billionaire Hans Rausing and his wife, Julia.

Work on the room, which houses work from renowned past masters including Caravaggio, Reni and Giordano, will begin at the start of Q1 2019. That work is expected to finish by Q2 2020 when it will reopen as the Julia and Hans Rousing Room.

"The National Gallery is lucky to have such generous and enlightened supporters in Julia and Hans Rausing. Their gift will transform the heart of the building and greatly enhance the visitors’ experience and the exhibition of those works," said Hannah Rothschild CBE, chair of the National Gallery Trustees.

New light and air controls will be installed in the room to protect the extremely valuable 17th-century collection on display in the room.

While refurbishment work is carried out, the National Gallery will look to display as many of the Room 32 works elsewhere in the museum as possible.

Room 32 was originally designed in 1876 by the architect Edward Barry and is one of the most visited in the museum