LED bulbs can damage paintings
7 hours ago
- #LED lighting
- #art conservation
- #paint degradation
- LED bulbs emit blue light which can damage yellow paint in paintings.
- Van Gogh used multiple types of chrome-yellow paint with different crystal structures, some of which are unstable.
- Unstable chrome-yellow paints change color to brown or olive green when exposed to light, affecting famous paintings like 'Portrait of Gauguin' and 'Sunflowers'.
- The issue is not limited to Van Gogh; paintings by Paul Cézanne also contain unstable chrome-yellow paint.
- Museums using LED bulbs may need to reconsider their lighting to preserve artworks.