Jacob Thomas

• University of Gothenburg

An investigation for light exposure on pigments in low-oxygen environments (in the range 0-5% oxygen) was conducted using a purpose-built automated microfadometer for a large sample set including multiple samples of traditional watercolour pigments from nineteenth-century and twentieth-century sources, selected for concerns over their stability in...

Reduced-oxygen display and storage, through the limitation of oxidative processes, can enhance the preservation of works on paper. By limiting photo-oxidative processes, access to objects can be increased, allowing their display at higher light levels and/or for longer periods. Published research indicates that most artists’ materials will either b...

The photo degradation of watercolour drawings prepared with madder lake pigments on gelatine-sized paper was studied by chemiluminometry, viscometry, and colorimetry. A method of recto irradiation and verso measurement was developed to overcome absorption of the emitted photons by the paint layer. A complex relationship between paper substrate, app...

We successfully transferred and applied -omics concepts to the study of material degradation, in particular historic paper. The main volatile degradation products of paper, constituting the particular "smell of old books", were determined using headspace analysis after a 24 h predegradation procedure. Using supervised and unsupervised methods of mu...

Tate is undertaking a major research project to assess the effects of anoxic storage on paper-based works of art. The outcomes will include: the design of a safe, affordable anoxic framing system suitable for both storage and display, capable of being incorporated into historic frames; guidelines on materials which would be harmed by anoxia and inf...

The design and experimental method for the use of a novel instrument for lightfastness measurements on an artwork is presented. The new micro-fading spectrometer design offers increased structural stability (which enables portability) and increased versatility over the previous, published design, broadening the scope of locations at which data can...

The design and experimental method for the use of a novel instrument for lightfastness measurements on artwork is presented. The new microfadometer design offers increased durability and portability over the previous, published design, broadening the scope of locations at which data can be acquired. This reduces the need for art handling or transpo...