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Finding fine art and the light that accompanies it is easy, but new art collectors should keep a few simple tips in mind when it comes to lighting their recent acquisitions. Natural light, while it does make your art look great, is hard to control and, truly, not the best option for your art collection. In fact, sunlight can actually damage a piece of work over time. Fluorescent lights do have some UV rays, so professional art dealers don't light work with them, either. Fluorescent lights also don't emit light across the entire color spectrum, so often, the work won't look its best.
Incandescent lights have both good and bad points: they bring out the warm tones in a painting, but will flatten cooler colors, like blue and green. Halogen lights, though not fully accepted by the museum community, are a good option. They bring out the subtleties of a work of art and, if they are low in wattage, are thought to be relatively safe for the work itself.
If you plan to direct a spotlight or a fixture on a track-lighting element toward a painting, this is fine, but make sure the direct angle of the light does not hit the work of art. Instead, point it a bit above the work or caddy-corner from the work. A light of any kind is not good if it's shining directly on your piece, especially if it is a work on paper, such as a photograph.
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