Microfadeometry
Description
A technique that uses tiny spots of intense light to measure color changes due to the light exposure. Microphotometry is very useful in the determination of potential changes in sensitive objects of art. Light-fastness testing dates back to as early as 1733. In the late 19th century with early art conservation studies, Russell and Abney published Action of Light on Watercolors in 1888 sparking a concern with light and the aging of cultural materials.
Microfading is an accelerated light aging technique carried out on a micro-scale. It provides data and information on the relative light sensitivity of the colorants tested. This data can then be used to make informed decisions on lighting and display of the artwork or object that has been tested. As a specific measurement technique, the Microfadeometer was developed in the late 1990s by Dr. Paul Whitmore as an accelerated measurement method of locating dyes and pigments likely to fade rapidly under gallery lighting conditions. His fadeometer used an intense xenon arc lamp focused through an optical fiber onto a tiny spot (300-400 microns) to induce potential changes. onto a tiny area of a surface. Any color variations (i.e., light damage) with exposure were measured by reflectance spectroscopy. The few minutes of exposure with the xenon lamp are equivalent years of exposure in normal museum lighting conditions. This, the technique provides data for collection care professionals to make informed display choices.
- For more information on the use of Microfade testing (MTF) in conservation, see: MFT
Synonyms and Related Terms
Microfading; Microfade Testing; MFT; Lightfastness
Resources and Citations
- Whitmore, P.M., X. Pan, and C. Bailie. 1999. Predicting the fading of objects: identification of fugitive colorants through direct nondestructive light-fastness measurements, Journal of the American Institute for Conservation 38: 395–409.
- Wikipedia: Microfadeometry Accessed Jan 2026
- Getty: Introduction to Microfading Testing: Microfading Tester (MTF)
- Museum Lighting Research, J. Paul Getty Trust. (2010, July) Using Microfadeometry to Measure Color Changes.