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CRI (COLOR RENDERING INDEX)
What is CRI?
The CRI (Color Rendering Index) measures, on a scale from 0 to 100, how accurately a light source reproduces the colours of an object compared with natural light. A lamp with a CRI of 80—the standard for domestic lighting—noticeably alters critical colours such as deep reds and earth tones. Under this type of light, an inpainting may appear perfect in the laboratory but prove visibly inaccurate once the artwork is returned to the museum and displayed under different lighting conditions.
Work on cultural heritage requires values above 95, measured not only using the eight standard colour samples (R1–R8), but across the full extended range, including saturated red R9—the most difficult colour for conventional LEDs to reproduce and one of the most common in paintings.
CTS ART LUX lamps: CRI >98 across 15 colour levels
The CTS ART LUX range has been designed specifically around this requirement. The LED models—from the compact ART LUX 20L and ART LUX 50LW to the ART LUX 100L NEW and 200L NEW—feature 5000 K natural white LEDs with a CRI above 98, verified across 15 colour levels. This level of colour fidelity also covers the critical samples overlooked by standard measurements.
A colour temperature of 5000 K corresponds to neutral daylight, the ideal reference for colour assessment because it neither warms yellows nor cools blues.
More than colour rendering: light that is safe for artworks
A conservation lamp must provide effective illumination without causing damage. The ART LUX LEDs are free from UV and IR radiation: no photodegradation of pigments or binders and no heating of surfaces—an essential consideration when working at close range for extended periods on varnishes, waxes or sensitive supports.
Additional features include adjustable light intensity via a controller, low-voltage power supply (48 V) for improved on-site safety, a microprismatic PMMA diffuser providing uniform, glare-free illumination, and an LED lifespan of approximately 100,000 hours.
White light and Wood’s light in a single instrument
The LW versions (50LW, 100LW NEW and 200LW NEW) also incorporate Wood’s light UV LEDs in the same unit. A single instrument therefore allows users to switch from high-colour-fidelity working light to UV fluorescence examination in order to identify previous retouching, varnishes and overpainting. Stands, articulated arms and clamp mounts from the same range complete the system, making it suitable for everything from laboratory benches to scaffolding.
In summary
Choosing a lamp with a CRI above 98 is not merely a technical detail: it is essential for seeing the artwork as it truly is—and treating it accordingly.
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