PO 48 – quinacridone burnt orange

Poor lightfastness

Manufacturer/ product code:  Kremer / 23585
Chemical Description:  complex mixture of quinacridone pigments
Color: orange
Color Index: PO 48
Date:  —

PO 48 – Quinacridone Burnt Orange is a modern organic pigment belonging to the quinacridone family, a group celebrated for their exceptional color strength, purity, and durability. Chemically derived from quinacridone molecules modified to shift hue toward orange-brown tones, PO 48 occupies a chromatic space between red-orange and earthy burnt orange, combining the warmth of traditional iron-oxide oranges with the clarity and saturation of synthetic organics.

Introduced in the second half of the 20th century, quinacridone pigments quickly gained popularity in fine art, automotive coatings, plastics, and printing inks due to their outstanding lightfastness and chemical stability. PO 48 is notable for delivering a deep, rich orange with subtle brown undertones, often described as “burnt” because it evokes calcined earth pigments while remaining distinctly cleaner and more transparent. Compared to inorganic oranges, such as iron oxides, PO 48 offers higher chroma and smoother tinting behavior, especially in mixtures.

In artistic applications, PO 48 is prized for its transparency and glazing potential. It produces luminous overlays in oil and acrylic painting and mixes cleanly with yellows and reds to create a wide range of warm hues, from glowing oranges to deep russet browns. When combined with blues or greens, it yields neutralized, natural shadows without excessive dulling. This versatility makes it particularly attractive for landscape, portrait, and conservation-related color matching.

From a conservation science perspective, PO 48 shows excellent resistance to light, solvents, and heat, with minimal color shift over time. Its predictable aging behavior and well-documented spectral properties make it relatively straightforward to identify using techniques such as Raman spectroscopy and reflectance analysis. Quinacridone Burnt Orange thus represents a successful synthesis of modern chemistry and traditional aesthetic needs, offering durability without sacrificing expressive warmth.