X-rays show why van Gogh paintings lose their shine
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 - 11:30
in Paleontology & Archaeology
Scientists have identified a complex chemical reaction responsible for the degradation of two paintings by Vincent van Gogh and other artists of the late 19th century. This discovery is a first step to understanding how to stop the bright yellow colours of van Gogh's most famous paintings from being covered by a brown shade, and fading over time. In the meantime, the results suggest shielding affected paintings as much as possible from UV and sunlight. The results are published in the 15 February 2011 issue of Analytical Chemistry...