Polarized Light Microscopy
Includes a Live In-Person Event on 06/10/2025 at 9:00 AM (EDT)
June 24-27 2025, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA
Instructors: Kirsten Moffitt, Aaron Shugar
This workshop will provide participants with an intensive hands-on re-introduction to the theory and practice of Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM), focusing on historic pigments found in heritage objects. Workshop attendees will be equipped with Leica DM750P petrographic microscopes provided by NCPTT (National Center for Preservation Training and Technology).
PLM is an important tool for the study of cultural heritage objects, but its effective use is dependent on the skill and experience of the user. During this workshop, attendees will be reacquainted with the polarizing light microscope and refresh their microscopy knowledge and skills through lectures and hands-on exercises to recognize key optical and morphological properties of pigments, such as relative refractive index, pleochroism, and anisotropy. Participants will move beyond pigment references and work through unknowns collected from actual artifacts to reflect ‘real world’ applications encountered in conservation practice. Participants will collect samples from heritage objects, prepare those samples for microscopic examination, identify unknowns, and learn how best to document their results. Case-study lectures will explore actual projects in which PLM played a pivotal role. The limitations of PLM and the application of supplementary analytical techniques will also be discussed.
Attendees will receive a small slide reference set for use during class, printed and digital reference materials, as well as a packet of self-teaching worksheets designed for future use. During the workshop, attendees will have the opportunity to prepare a pigment reference set to take home. This workshop is designed to be a safe space for conservation professionals to refresh their microscopy skills, re-train their eye, and better articulate their findings. Participants will come away with a refreshed understanding of PLM, its relevance to the study of art materials, and the confidence to apply this critical technique to their own work.
Interested individuals must apply by April 22, 2025. The registration fee is $760 for AIC members, $912 for non-members. Free registration and a $1,000 travel stipend will be provided to a limited number of participants upon request in their application.
Funding for this program comes from a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC) Endowment for Professional Development, which was created by a grant from the Mellon Foundation and is supported by donations from members of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) and its friends. Workshops are made possible with the assistance of many AIC members, but no AIC membership dues were used to create or present this workshop.
Interested individuals must complete an application by April 22, 2025. Each applicant will be asked to describe their experience with objects containing historic pigments and how they would use and share the knowledge gained from this workshop.
Submit an application by clicking the "Apply" button below. Applications are submitted through our online application portal. When you enter the portal, you will be prompted to login to the system using a login ID and password. Please note that this system is not connected to your F/AIC profile on our general website.
Criteria for Review
- Experience and current interactions with the topic
- Need for the content (current challenges around the topic)
- Plan for dissemination of information gained
- The program seeks to support a diverse set of participants and will consider geographic location, place of employment type, and profession.
