The new technology allows us to discern, under the recognized masterpieces of paintings, which were later zakrasheny. The team of scientists from different countries, including experts from the Technological University of Delft (The Netherlands) and University of Antwerp (Belgium), has pioneered this technology for the analysis of paintings by Vincent van Gogh «flap herbs». A colorful layer on canvas portrait of woman found.

is well known that Van Gogh often wrote to the new picture on top of old ones. Experts in the master say that about a third of his early paintings conceal under a different picture. «Hidden» images can be viewed using the new technology, which is the basis rentgenospektralny synchrotron radiation fluorescence analysis. This technology is more advanced than other previously used to detect hidden paintings (in particular, X-ray). Expert Delft University of Technology and a historian of art Yoris Dick (Joris Dik) and Professor of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Ken Janssens (Koen Janssens) using new technology with the help of specialists from the Hamburg Research Center, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron and the Museum Kröller-Müller, who belongs to the canvas. A system like this: with the help of synchrotron radiation of the atoms begin fluorestsirovat, and with the help of X-ray fluorescence that can be seen and studied. Each atom fluorescent in different ways, depending on whether it is a chemical element (eg lead or mercury), and the power of fluorescence suggests the concentration of this element. That is, using new technology, you can see some color pigments. One of the advantages of the method - that the upper layers of paint is much less distorted latent image. As the speed of measuring fluorescence using this technology is high, you can explore a large area of the picture.

Cloth «flap herbs» was written by Van Gogh in 1887 in Paris. Previous studies have been able to establish a picture of that, with its colorful layers proglyadyvaetsya contour of head, but nothing more. It was scanned by using synchrotron radiation source DORIS at the center of Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, use small, but very powerful beam of X-rays. For two days, has been studied area the size of 17,5 x 17,5 cm, where the image of women found the head. New technology has allowed scientists to examine the picture in detail. Distribution of elements such as mercury and antimony (inherent in the individual color pigment), helped make the «color photo» filled the portrait.

Thanks to new discoveries, researchers can better understand the evolution of Van Gogh's art. With the new technology will find many other concealed paintings.

Source: www.artdaily.org