‘Hidden’ Van Gogh

TU Delft was once again in the world news headlines this summer when a new technique developed at the university led to the discovery of a previously unknown portrait of a woman by Vincent van Gogh. A team of researchers, led by TU Delft materials expert and art historian Dr. Joris Dik, and University of Antwerp chemistry professor Koen Janssens, used a new technique to peer beneath the paint of Van Gogh’s ‘Patch of Grass’. It was already known that there was something there, as Van Gogh was known to paint over his work, perhaps as much as a third of the time. Behind the painting, done mostly in greens and blues, is a portrait of a woman rendered in browns and reds. The new technique is based on ‘synchrotron radiation induced X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy’ and is said to be an improvement on X-ray radiography, which has been used to reveal concealed layers of other famous paintings. The new method measures chemicals in the pigments. Specifically, mercury and the element antimony were useful in revealing the woman’s face. (DM)

(Photo: TU Delft)

A team of researchers, led by TU Delft materials expert and art historian Dr. Joris Dik, and University of Antwerp chemistry professor Koen Janssens, used a new technique to peer beneath the paint of Van Gogh’s ‘Patch of Grass’. It was already known that there was something there, as Van Gogh was known to paint over his work, perhaps as much as a third of the time. Behind the painting, done mostly in greens and blues, is a portrait of a woman rendered in browns and reds. The new technique is based on ‘synchrotron radiation induced X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy’ and is said to be an improvement on X-ray radiography, which has been used to reveal concealed layers of other famous paintings. The new method measures chemicals in the pigments. Specifically, mercury and the element antimony were useful in revealing the woman’s face. (DM)



(Photo: TU Delft)