Why researchers look for white stains on Edvard Munch's masterpiece with DESY's X-rays
Friday, September 16, 2016 - 08:11
in Paleontology & Archaeology
With the help of the brilliant X-ray radiation from DESY's research light source PETRA III, scientists have solved a decades-old mystery from the world of art: A team led by Dr. Geert Van der Snickt of the University of Antwerp unravelled the nature of mysterious white spots on the famous painting "The Scream" by the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. Contrary to popular assumption the stains are not bird droppings - and neither simply white color. Instead, the X-ray examination shows that the patches are made of wax, which probably dripped from a candle in Munch's studio on the painting.