Leighton Reeve Roy White1987

8/16/2019 Leighton Reeve Roy White1987

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National Gallery Technical Bulletin Volume 11, 1987

Vincent Van Gogh's 'A Cornfield, ith Cy!resses"

John Leighton, Anthony Reeve, Ashok Roy and Raymond White

#ntroduction

John Leighton

Van Gogh painted three versions of ‘ A Cornfeld, with Cypresses’; apainting in a Swiss private collection (Fig.1) is almost identical in size tothe National Gallery version (No. !"1# Fig.$ and %late&' p. &)' while a

red*ction or small copy of the same composition is in an +mericanprivate collection (Fig. ) (note 1). ,he treatment of No. !"1 and thematerials *sed -y Van Gogh are disc*ssed -elow -y +nthony eeve and+sho/ oy# this introd*ction provides a conte0t for the National Gallery ‘ ACornfeld, with Cypresses’ and p*ts forward some tentative s*ggestionsa-o*t the relative stat*s of the three versions of this composition. ,herecent e0hi-itions Van Gogh in +ries and Van Gogh in Saint 2my and+*vers with their e0cellent catalog*es' have provided comprehensive arthistorical st*dies of these periods in Van Gogh s career' yet there remainsa s*rprising dearth of detailed technical analyses of the artist s wor/ (note$). 3ntil s*ch a -ody of information is compiled' any generalizations a-o*tVan Gogh s wor/ing processes m*st remain *ns*-stantiated.

+fter a series of -rea/downs at +ries in the winter of 1!!!' Van Goghvol*ntarily entered the asyl*m of Saint %a*l de 4a*sole in Saint 2my de%rovence on ! 4ay 1!!5. ,he 6rst month at Saint 2my was spentdrawing and painting within the hospital gro*nds' -*t early in 7*ne' VanGogh was a-le to report to his -rother ,heo that he had -eg*n to paint inthe s*rro*nding co*ntryside. 8e 6rst tac/led a motif similar to that ofNo. !"1 in the ‘ Wheatfeld’ painted in mid 7*ne (note ). 9y the end of themonth he wrote to ,heo:

‘,he cypresses are always occ*pying my tho*ghts' ; sho*ld li/e to ma/esomething of them li/e the canvases of the s*n


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+s a s*-?ect' the cypress tree appealed -oth to Van Gogh s eye and hisimagination# while the elegant silho*ettes were as -ea*tif*l of line andproportion as an @gyptian o-elis/ . ,he traditional associations of thecypresses' the %rovenAal tree of death' may also have appealed to VanGogh# hc often descri-ed them as som-re and once referred to thecypress as a splash of ‘ black’ in a s*nny landscape B....C (note ). +-oveall' the cypress trees' along with the olive trees' the 6g trees and thevines were characteristic of %rovence. +s he -ecame more involved in the%rovencal landscape' Van Gogh spo/e of his am-ition to create a scries ofcanvases which will form at -est a sort of whole' D;mpressions of%rovenceD (note "). For Vincent' the cypress trees were as m*ch a part of%rovence as the willows were of his native 8olland.

Eypresses appear in the -ac/gro*nd of several of Van Gogh s paintings at+ries and they are a dominant element in ‘ The Starry Night’ painted inmid 7*ne 1!!5 (note &). ;n two canvases dating from the end of 7*nehowever' the cypress trees have -ecome a s*-?ect in themselves (note !).‘,wo st*dies of cypresses of that di c*lt -ottle green h*e# ; have wor/edtheir foregro*nds with thic/ layers of white lead' which gives 6rmness tothe gro*nd (note 5).>

,he 6rst version of ‘ A Cornfeld, with Cypresses’ (Fig.1) was paintedshortly afterwards' early in 7*ly.

‘; have a canvas of cypresses with some ears of wheat' some poppies' a-l*e s/y li/e a piece of Scotch plaid# the former painted with a thic/impasto li/e the 4onticellis' and the wheat6eld in the s*n' whichrepresents the e0treme heat' very thic/ too (note 1 ).>

,his description matches the painting now in Switzerland which has thesame dense impasto as the recently completed ‘ Cypresses’, a s*rfacewhich is an acc*m*lation of several layers of paint.


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,he activity of these early months at Saint 2my was -ro*ght to an a-r*pthalt -y the severe attac/ which Van Gogh s*Hered while painting o*t ofdoors in mid 7*ly. 8e was ill for a-o*t 6ve wee/s and did not res*mepainting *ntil the end of +*g*st. Iriting to ,heo early in Septem-er' VanGogh promised to send his -rother twelve size canvases -y the end ofthe month' -*t they will nearly all -e the same pict*re twice over' thest*dy and the 6nal pict*re (note 11). ;t seems li/ely that the NationalGallery' ‘ A Cornfeld, with Cypresses’ is one of these size canvases' ast*dio repetition of the composition 6rst painted in 7*ly. ,he recenttreatment of No. !"1 con6rms that it was pro-a-ly painted in a singlesitting with some minor later additions' and the rapidly achieved impastois J*ite distinct from the more heavily wro*ght s*rfaces of the earlier‘Cypresses’ and ‘ A Cornfeld, with Cypresses’ (Fig.1). ,here is considera-levariation in the te0t*re and thic/ness of paint in No. !"1# in several areas'nota-ly the s/y and the cypress trees' the paint is thinly and evenlyapplied while the thic/est impasto is in the foregro*nd wheat and in theclo*ds. ,he gro*nd is often allowed to show -etween the -r*shstro/es andin the s/y this creates a s*-tle interplay -etween the warm gro*nd colo*rand the cool -l*es.

;n repeating the 7*ly version' Van Gogh has made several modi6cations tothe composition. Some of the areas in the middle distance have -eensimpli6ed and the silho*ettes of the cypress trees are livelier and moreanimated. 8e has also e0aggerated the rhythmic lines which r*n acrossthe composition' especially the o*tline of the mo*ntains and the far edgeof the wheat6eld.

,he relationship -etween these two versions of the same composition isinteresting as it is often ass*med that Van Gogh prod*ced repetitions ofhis own wor/ cither as gifts for his family or -eca*se he was forced to relyon the inspiration of his own wor/ d*ring periods of convalescence. ,hesmall red*ction of ‘ A Cornfeld, with Cypresses’ (Fig. ) certainly -elongs tothe former category as it was prod*ced to send to his mother and sister'-*t there are a n*m-er of repetitions which played a more important rolein Van Gogh s wor/ing proced*re. Van Gogh was committed to wor/ingfrom nat*re yet he strove to render the inner character of the landscaperather than to reprod*ce its s*per6cial appearance. +t +ries' *nder thes*pervision of Ga*g*in' he had e0perimented with the freedom of paintingfrom his imagination rather than after nat*re -*t he J*ic/ly a-andonedthis approach 6nding it alien to his temperament. Iith the e0ception of asmall n*m-er of canvases incl*ding ‘ The Starry Night’, the paintingsprod*ced at Saint 2my are -ased on a direct o-servation of nat*re. ,heprocess of repeating a composition in the st*dio allowed Van Gogh toe0plore the more decorative and e0pressive elements in his art' while atthe same time retaining a close lin/ with the motif.

;n a letter to @mile 9ernard written in 1!!!' Van Gogh had already given aclear statement a-o*t the relationship -etween a st*dy from nat*re anda 6nished pict*re.


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‘+nd ; cannot wor/ witho*t a model. ; won t say that ; don t t*rn my -ac/on nat*re r*thlessly in order to t*rn a st*dy into a pict*re' arranging thecolo*rs' enlarging and simplifying# B....C ; e0aggerate' sometimes ; ma/echanges in a motif# -*t for all that' ; do not invent the whole pict*re# onthe contrary' ; 6nd it all ready in nat*re' only it m*st -e disentangled(note 1$).>;n another letter to 9ernard written a year later' from Saint 2my' VanGogh again stressed his di c*lties in disentangling what is already innat*re (note 1 ). 9y prod*cing repetitions Van Gogh was a-le to develophis personal response to the s*-?ect witho*t moving too far towards whathe descri-ed as the enchanted gro*nd of a-straction (note 1=).

Ihen ,heo Van Gogh wrote to Vincent to ac/nowledge receipt of the-atch of paintings which incl*ded -oth the size paintings of ‘ ACornfeld, with Cypresses’ he acc*sed his -rother of -eing preocc*pied

with the search for some style . ;n his defence Vincent replied:‘B...C the fact is that ; feel strongly inclined to see/ style' if yo* li/e' -*t -ythat ; mean a more virile deli-erate drawing. ; can t help it if that ma/esme more li/e 9ernard or Ga*g*in (note 1 ).>

,he small -*t important diHerences -etween ‘ A Cornfeld, with Cypresses’ in Switzerland and the version in the National Gallery ill*strate thisattempt to achieve a more deli-erate drawing and show how' in therelative calm of the st*dio' Van Gogh so*ght to translate a heavily wor/edst*dy after nat*re into a more concise and powerf*l pictorial statement.

,he two paintings of ‘ A Cornfeld, with Cypresses’ were sent to ,heo on $!Septem-er 1!!5. Van Gogh often gave his -rother detailed instr*ctions onhow to handle and display his wor/s and his comments s*ggest thatVincent was well aware of the pro-lems that his techniJ*es might ca*se inthe f*t*re. ;n Septem-er 1!!5' for e0ample' he wrote to ,heo a-o*t the‘Bedroom’

‘B...C sooner or later it m*st -e ‘ recan!ased’ good and solid. ;t was paintedso J*ic/ly and has dried in s*ch a way that the essence evaporated atonce' and so the paint is not 6rmly st*c/ to the canvas at all. ,hat will -ethe case with other st*dies of mine too' which were painted very J*ic/ly

and very thic/ly. 9esides' after some time this thin canvas decays andcannot -ear a lot of impasto (note 1").>

Kn a n*m-er of occasions Van Gogh told ,heo to wash his canvases whenthey are J*ite' J*ite dry with ‘ water and a little spirits o" wine’ to ta/eaway the oil and the essence in the impasto (note 1&). ,hese instr*ctionswere repeated when he sent his painting of ‘ Cypresses’ to the critic' +l-ert+*rier' and Van Gogh also instr*cted him to give the painting a goodlycoat of varnish :

‘B...C yo* will' -y varnishing' get the -lac/' the very -lac/ tones' necessaryto -ring o*t the vario*s som-re greens (note 1!).>


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;t is not clear why -oth the size versions of ‘ A Cornfeld, withCypresses’ escaped this treatment -*t the di c*lties in 6nding a s*ita-leprotective layer for No. !"1 are disc*ssed -elow -y +nthony eeve.

Ac$no ledgements

; wo*ld li/e to than/ Eornelia %eres of the i?/sm*se*m Vincent Van Gogh'+msterdam and 8ans S*si?n for their help and advice. ; am also gratef*l toS*san Stein at the 4etropolitan 4*se*m of +rt' New Lor/ for o-taining areprod*ction of F&= .

Notes and references

1. ,he three versions are: + Eorn6eld' with Eypresses ' National GalleryNo. !"1' &= 0 5 cm# F"1 in M@ + F+; @' 7 9.' ‘The Works o" #incent #an$ogh’, rev. ed. (+msterdam 15& ). + Eorn6eld' with Eypresses ' & 05 . cm# F&1&. + Eorn6eld' with Eypresses ' 1. 0 " cm' F&= .$. Van Gogh in +ries ' ,he 4etropolitan 4*se*m of +rt' New Lor/' 1! Kct.to Mec. 15!=. Van Gogh in Saint 2my and +*vers ' ,he 4etropolitan4*se*m of +rt' New Lor/' $ Nov. 15!" to $$ 4ar. 15!&.

. Green Iheat ' NOrodnP Galerie' %rag*e' F&15.=. ‘The Complete %etters o" #incent #an $ogh’, three vols.' ,hames and8*dson ( ondon 15 !)' Vol.;;;' No. 5".

. ‘%etters’, Vol.;;;' No. 5".". ‘ %etters’, Vol.;;;' No." 5.&. See for e0ample' F=! ' F=5" and F 1 . ,he Starry Night ' 4*se*m of4odern +rt' New Lor/' F"1$.!. Eypresses ' ,he 4etropolitan 4*se*m of +rt' New Lor/' F"1 .

Eypresses ' i?/sm*se*m Qroller 4*ller' Ktterlo' F"$ .5. ‘%etters’, Vol.;;;' No. 5". See also No. =1 in which Van Gogh descri-esthe cypress as f*nereal .1 . ‘%etters’, Vol.;;;' No. 5&.&&' (%etters’, Vol.;;;' No." =.1$. ‘ %etters’, Vol.;;;' 915.1 . ‘%etters’, Vol.;;;' 9$ .1=. ‘%etters’, Vol.;;;' 9$1.1 . ‘%etters’, Vol.;;;' ,15 and No."1 .

1". ‘ %etters’, Vol.;;;' No." =. Van Gogh s 9edroom ' +msterdam'i?/sm*se*m Vincent Van Gogh' F=!$.1&. ‘%etters’, Vol.;;;' No. 5 . See also ‘ %etters’, Vol.;;;' No. " ' where VanGogh e0plains that' Ga*g*in has told me how to get rid of the grease inthe things painted in impasto -y washing from time to time.1!. ‘ %etters’, Vol.;;;' No."$"a.

Cleaning and restoration

Anthony Reeve


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(A Cornfeld, with Cypresses’ (see %late &' p. &) is one of fo*r paintings -yVan Gogh in the National Gallery (note 1)# the others are: ‘ The Chair and)ipe’ (No. !"$)' painted in +ries in 1!!!# ‘ S*n+owers’ (No. !" )' pro-a-lypainted in +ries in 1!!!' and ‘ %ong $rass with B*tter+ies’ (No.=1"5)'pro-a-ly painted in the year of the artist s death' 1!5 .

Van Gogh s paintings li/e those of most artists' vary in techniJ*e andstyle. ,he thic/ness of the gro*nds and of the paint layers variesconsidera-ly from one pict*re to another. For e0ample the paint of the‘S*n+owers’ is e0traordinarily thic/# it is not /nown what type of gro*ndthe pict*re has. ,he canvas of ‘ The Chair and )ipe’ is prepared only with athin application of size' and is also thic/ly painted pro-a-ly in two layers.‘%ong $rass with B*tter+ies’ is similar to ‘ A Cornfeld, with Cypresses’ inthat the gro*nd has -een left showing thro*gh the paint.

Since the paint on No. !"1 contin*es ro*nd the t*rned over edges' the

canvas may have -een pinned o*t on a -oard or frame when it waspainted as the only visi-le set of tac/ and pin holes match *p with theholes on the e0isting stretcher.

,he paint was pro-a-ly wor/ed straight from the t*-e onto the canvasand then -r*shed while still wet' as traces of colo*r mi0ing can -e seen'for e0ample' of green in the -l*e of the mo*ntains.

,his pict*re is tho*ght to have -een painted in a very short time with veryminor additions of yellow to the centre left and the right edge' and a few-rown stro/es across the corn as a 6nal colo*r ad?*stment. ,hese aremost clearly seen in the 3V


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,he infra red photograph (Fig.") ta/en d*ring e0amination of the pict*realso displayed the *n*s*al -*t interesting phenomenon of omitting asection of the composition' the whole area of distant mo*ntains' whichm*st -e ca*sed -y having -een painted with pigments showing a highre


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Since the painted edges were to -e reclaimed and minor s*rfacedeformations removed' it was decided to rela0 and regenerate these areasso far as possi-le *sing moist*re treatment on the low press*re vac**mta-le (note $) with heating to UE and moist*re vapo*r applied fortwenty min*tes *nder a low vac**m. ,he pict*re was dried in the rela0edstate maintaining the vac**m for three ho*rs. ,he painting rela0ed andreformed in a m*ch


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,he cleaning and conservation treatment of the National Gallery ‘ ACornfeld, with Cypresses’ presented *s with a welcome opport*nity toe0amine the techniJ*e of the painting and to identify the materialsinvolved' partic*larly the pigments' in a n*m-er of samples ta/en d*ring

treatment. ;t is of interest to *s to /now something of the history of theartists palette in French painting in the later part of the nineteenthcent*ry' and we have now -een a-le to e0plore the painting materials inindivid*al pict*res -y 4onet (note 1'$)' enoir (note $)' E2zanne (note $)and 4anet (note ). Eonsistent patterns in the *ses of nineteenth cent*rypigments -egin to emerge' altho*gh the techniJ*es of painting remain acharacteristic of the painter. ,he present Van Gogh shows m*ch that isclose to the ;mpressionist palette' altho*gh the painter s predilection forzinc white in place of the more *s*al lead pigment for oil painting seemsto -e *n*s*al amongst his contemporaries.

Ie are fort*nate to -e a-le to compare the res*lts of o*r pigmentanalyses with those given in a recent comprehensive and e0cellent st*dymade at the Fogg +rt 4*se*m' 8arvard 3niversity of the Van Gogh ‘ Sel"1)ortrait 3edicated to )a*l $a*g*in’ (note =) painted in +ries a-o*t a year-efore the National Gallery landscape. ,he palette -etween +ries and St.

2my clearly evolved little. ;n addition the reJ*ests for s*pplies ofpainting materials in some of Vincent s letters to ,heo (note ) givesanother so*rce for comparison with the palette that can -e ded*ced fromthe paint analyses noted here.

%igment identi6cations from the National Gallery painting were made -y a

com-ination of optical and chemical microscopy' Y ray diHraction analysis(Y M)' and emission spectrography with the laser micropro-e ( 4+). ,heres*lts are presented in s*mmary form in ,a-le 1. Ie note -elow thedi c*lties that arise in characterizing -y analytical means alone certainnineteenth cent*ry pigments' partic*larly the variety of chrome yellowswhich had -ecome availa-le (note ")' and which here form an importantpart of the paint of the corn6eld. For these samples' scanning electronmicroscopy (S@4 (note &)) was *sed to loo/ closely at pigment particlemorphology' and an attempt made to correlate the res*lts with theo-served colo*rs of the paint and with crystallographic identi6cation ofthe materials -y Y M.

Notes to the Ta%le

1. ,he pigment identi6cations noted are -y spectrographic analysis' Y raydiHraction' and where no method is recorded' -y optical microscopy.%igments listed in -rac/ets are present only in small J*antities in thesample.$. +ppearance of the paint layer in *ltra violet light (see %late 5' p. &). +Z light[


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. +ppearance of the paint layer in the infra red photograph (Fig."). ,hepaint a-sor-s infra red radiation where the copper pigment' emeraldgreen is *sed' and to some e0tent where p*re chrome yellow (leadchromate) occ*rs.=. Iea/er emission lines from minor components are listed in -rac/ets.

. Y ray diHraction analysis with the Me-ye Scherrer camera. ,he col*mnnotes where agreement was fo*nd with the 7E%MS 6le' given in sJ*are-rac/ets. Ihere relevant' the appropriate mineralogical name of thepigment is J*oted.". Sample possi-ly contains stronti*m chromate.&. 4icroscopical identi6cation only.

Table 1 %igment mi0t*res *sed in Van Gogh s (A Cornfeld, withCypresses’'

&am!le igment(s

)note 1*

+V

Beha-iour)note.*

#nfra red

!hotogra!h )note/*

&!ectrogra!hi

c Analysis)0 A* )note 2*

3 ray 4iffraction

Analysis )354*)note 6*

White ground lead white A light Pb hydrocerussite[13–131]

White cloud zinc white A light Zn zincite [5–664]Pale blue s y! to" edge zinc white

#cobalt blue$ A light – –

%id&blue s y! to" edge zinc whitecobalt blue

A light Zn! 'o! Al

%id&blue (ountain! l)h)edge

zinc whitecobalt blue

A light Zn! 'o! Al zincite [5–664]cobalt alu(iniu(o*ide [1+–45,]

-ar blue line! (iddledistance #Plate 1+c!")5.$

ultra(arinee(erald green

/ dar Al! 0i! 'u! As –

-ar blue line! r)h) edge ultra(arine#red la e$

A light – ultra(arine [ –3 5]

2ed o "o""ies er(ilion / light g cinnabar [6– 56]-ar est yellow ocorn ield

chro(e yellow / grey Pb! 'r crocoite [,– + ]

/rownish yellow ocorn ield! l)h) edge

chro(e yellow#earth"ig(ent7!

er(ilion!iridian$

/ light Pb! 'r #8e! Al! 0i! g$

crocoite [,– + ]

%id&yellow o corn ield!l)h) edge

chro(e yellowzinc white

A grey Pb! 'r! Zn crocoite [,– + ]zincite [5–664]

9ightest yellow ocorn ield! l)h) edge

zinc whitechro(e yellow

A light Zn! Pb! 'r zincite [5–664]crocoite [,– + ]

-ull yellow o corn ield!

l)h) edge

chro(e yellow

zinc white#e(erald

A light Zn! Pb! 'r

#'u! As$

zincite [5–664]

crocoite [,– + ]


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green$

%ustard yellow hillside!l)h) edge

chro(e yellowzinc white#earth"ig(ent7!e(erald green!

er(ilion$

A grey Pb! 0r! 'r! Zn#8e! Al! 0i! 'u!

As! g$

–

:ur;uoise s y! to" right zinc whiteiridian

A light Zn! 'r

Pale green bushes! l)h)edge

zinc whitechro(e yellow

iridian

A light –

%id&green! botto( edge zinc whiteiridian

chro(eyellow #note 6$

#e(eraldgreen$

A grey Zn! 'r! Pb! 0r #'u! As$

-ar green! botto(edge

iridiane(erald greenchro(e yellow#zinc white!

er(ilion$

/ dar 'r! 'u! As! Pb#Zn! g$

-ull green! botto( edge#Plate 1+d! ")5.$

zinc whitee(erald green

iridianchro(eyellow #note 6$

# er(ilion$

A dar Zn! 'u! As! Pb!0r 'r # g$


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+nalysis of the paint medi*m -y gas chromatography is given -yaymond Ihite in ,a-le $ -elow.

;t is evident that Van Gogh wo*ld have painted the ‘ Cornfeld, withCypresses’ J*ite rapidly' and the intermingling of colo*rs revealed -ysome of the cross sectional samples con6rms this. For e0ample' in thestrea/s of ma*vish grey in the foregro*nd at the very edge of thecorn6eld' the colo*r can -e seen to have -een wor/ed into the *nderlyingwhite and yellow layers whilst the paint m*st still have -een wet (see%late 1 a' p. &). @lsewhere' tho*gh' a more organized' discrete layerstr*ct*re is fo*nd s*ggesting s*-seJ*ent ad?*stments to the compositionafter the initial layers had dried (see' for e0ample' %late 1 -' p. &). ,hereis also evidence from the constit*tion of the paint that modi6cations tothe design' if only minor' were made at a later stage (see the pigmentsection -elow *nder white )' which s*pports the view that No. !"1 was

not the 6rst in the series of paintings' -*t evolved -y Van Gogh in thest*dio as a version of the theme. Several of the samples show a thin'discontin*o*s layer of -lac/ pigment recogniza-le microscopically aswood charcoal on top of the white gro*nd' indicating some preliminarys/etching of the design -efore painting (see %late 1 c' p. &). ;t is li/elythat Van Gogh wo*ld have de6ned the principal parts of the compositionin a charcoal drawing on the canvas when wor/ing from one of his earlierpict*res of the gro*p. ;n each case the *nderdrawing is present -eneathlines of paint which divide the main elements of the landscapehorizontally \ at the point for e0ample where the dar/ -l*e line separatesthe corn6eld from the more distant -l*e hills and mo*ntains' and in theimmediate foregro*nd where the yellow stal/s of corn give way to palegreen and cream.

No sign of the drawing shows in the infra red photograph (see Fig.")'partly -eca*se it is present -eneath paint containing pigments whichre


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Van Gogh s li/ing for zinc white is evident from his letters (note ). 8eclearly regarded it as in some way more permanent than lead white. 8ewas also aware of its relatively poor drying J*alities' and in the impasto of the p*re white of the s/y in No. !"1 relatively deep' sharped edgedcrac/s have formed. ;n addition it has -een shown that zinc o0ide andmoist*re may generate hydrogen pero0ide in the paint 6lm -y aphotochemical reaction' leading to degradation of the medi*m andpossi-ly to chal/ing of the s*rface (note 5'1 ). ;n the ‘ Cornfeld, withCypresses’ however' the zinc white containing paint seems sta-le and noill eHects res*lted from moist*re treatment of the canvas (see a-ove). 9ythe later part of the nineteenth cent*ry it is li/ely that transition metalsiccatives were added to zinc white' partic*larly manganese' to assistdrying altho*gh the J*antity wo*ld pro-a-ly -e too low to -e detected inthe emission spectr*m of samples.

Xinc white was a French invention of the 1&! s attri-*ted either to E*rtoisor to G*yton de 4orvea* -oth of Mi?on (note 11)' -*t it was not *ntil the1!= s that it -ecame commercially availa-le in J*antity as an oil paint. ;tsapplication as a watercolo*r pigment had -een appreciated earlier in thecent*ry since it does not discolo*r in aJ*eo*s media as lead white isprone to do. From his letters Van Gogh appears to have made *se of -oth/inds of white' -*t some of the lead white may well have -een intendedfor gro*nds.


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+ltho*gh p*re zinc o0ide will a-sor- 3V light strongly (note 1$)' itgenerally also e0hi-its a strong -l*ish or yellowish white


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,wo -l*e pigments are present in the samples. Eo-alt -l*e (co-altal*minate' EoK.+l $K ) is *sed most e0tensively: to tint the zinc white forthe -l*e of the s/y' and at a greater concentration in the wedge ofmo*ntains which occ*py the middle distance. ;nterestingly' no matter howthic/ly the paint was applied' in those areas which contain co-alt -l*e thedrying crac/s in the s/y are less prono*nced than in the passages paintedin zinc white alone. ,he eHect of co-alt pigments in assisting the drying of oil paint is well esta-lished (note 1 )' and pro-a-ly acco*nts here for thegood state of preservation of the mi0ed light -l*es in the pict*re. ,heinfra red photograph (Fig.") shows a stri/ing change in the image whencompared to the pict*re in visi-le light. ,he division -etween s/y andmo*ntains all -*t disappears' merging into a single light area. e


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,he paler appearance of the cypresses in the infra red photograph ispres*ma-ly the res*lt of *ltramarine containing paint.

No %r*ssian -l*e was fo*nd in the pict*re.

Red

ed pigments are not prominent in the composition' e0cept for the-rilliant scarlet of the poppies which -order the corn6eld. ,he red pigmenthere is vermilion (merc*ric s*lphide' 8gS) *sed as completely p*reto*ches. @0amination of a dispersed sample in the S@4 shows the particleform to -e similar to reference specimens of precipitated merc*rics*lphide (Figs.1 a'-). ,he wet process had -ecome the main method ofman*fact*re in @*rope for vermilion -y the nineteenth cent*rys*perseding the earlier so called dry process which involved directsynthesis from merc*ry and s*lph*r' followed -y s*-limation (note 1")(see also p.! of this ‘ B*lletin’4' Kther than in coarsely gro*nd specimensof nat*ral cinna-ar vermilion' the detail of the particle morphology is-eyond the resolving power of the optical microscope and it is only in theS@4 that it can -e e0amined# the average grain size in the Van Goghsample lies well -elow 1' altho*gh the particles cl*mp together to formaggregations in the 1 $ μ range. Ihere the particle form is -estdeveloped' precipitated vermilion shows interloc/ing distorted c*-esassociated with more ro*nded particles' which have f*sed into rosetteshaped cl*mps. ,he distri-*tion of morphology and grain size is li/ely tovary from specimen to specimen (note 1&).

Yellow


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,he corn6eld itself is dominated -y yellow' ranging from a dar/ m*stard toa light straw colo*r. ,he entire area ma/es *se of large J*antities ofchrome pigment' very thic/ly applied. %recise identi6cation of the materialis pro-lematic for several reasons. ,he nineteenth cent*ry saw theintrod*ction of a n*m-er of yellow chromate pigments. ,he mostimportant of this gro*p was lead chromate (%-ErK =)' generally calledchrome yellow' -*t the compo*nds of -ari*m' stronti*m and zinc alsofo*nd application as artists pigments. ,he 6rst two are *s*ally descri-ed-y the man*fact*rers as lemon yellow ' -*t the term may eJ*ally have-een applied to a light shade of lead chromate or to mi0t*res of diHerentpigments. +ll these chromates are crystalline' so in principal Y raydiHraction analysis might -e *sed for their identi6cation' especially if theelemental composition is /nown from spectrographic or Y ray


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Five samples of yellow were ta/en from the paint of the corn6eld' rangingin colo*r from the palest straw colo*red tint to a dar/ yellow -rown *sedfor the stro/es in the foregro*nd. ,hese were e0amined -y Y M' 4+ andfragments were dispersed -y vario*s methods for e0amination of theparticle form in the S@4. Spectrographic analysis ( 4+) in each caseshowed intense lines for lead' chromi*m' and in all samples -*t thedar/est colo*rs' lines for zinc. + strongly colo*red -rownish yellow of thecorn6eld' and the m*stard yellow of the ad?acent hillside to the right alsoshowed some concentration of iron' silicon and al*mini*m s*ggesting acontent of a little earth pigment. ,he latter sample contained stronti*m inaddition. ,he only Y ray powder patterns that co*ld -e *nam-ig*o*slyinterpreted were for the dar/ yellow -rown specimens' which agreed wellwith that for p*re monoclinic lead chromate (crocoite). Xinc white wasshown -y Y M to -e a-sent from these samples' which in con6rmationwere also from areas e0hi-iting no 3V


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;t has -een pointed o*t earlier that some of the greens of the landscapema/e *se of pigment mi0t*res' altho*gh nowhere has -l*e and yellowalone -een com-ined for the p*rpose. +ll the samples contain eitherviridian (hydrated chromi*m (;;;) o0ide Er $K .$8 $K) or emerald green(copper acetoarsenite' E*(E8 EKK)$. E*(+sK $)$)' and sometimes -othpigments (%late 1 d' p. &). ,he occ*rrences are noted in ,a-le 1. Viridianand emerald green are often fo*nd to have -een mi0ed together in;mpressionist painting (note 1'$)' -*t altho*gh certain of the samples fromthe Van Gogh contain the two' they are also *sed independently. Fore0ample' the two ro*nd -*shes immediately in front of the taller cypressare painted in virt*ally p*re emerald green over the white gro*nd' whilststrea/s of *nmi0ed viridian *nderlie lighter yellowish mi0ed greens of themeadow to the left hand edge. ,he names of these pigments in @nglishand French are conf*sed -y contradictory terminology' since in France

verte emera*de (emerald green) is the transparent chromi*m o0idepigment (viridian)' and what is called emerald green in @ngland' is inFrance *s*ally called Veronese green . ;n the @nglish edition of the letters'Van Gogh speci6es a pigment translated as malachite green ' and this ismost li/ely to -e copper acetoarsenite (note $ ).

,he green pigments are also *sed in mi0t*re with synthetic *ltramarinefor the deepest greenish -l*es of the cypresses' and for the lines whichde6ne the neigh-o*ring landscape. Iherever the copper pigment occ*rs'the paint appears relatively dar/ in the infra red photograph. ;n the coldgreen sections of s/y the pigment is viridian mi0ed with white.

Other pigments

,he main gro*p of pigments *sed in No. !"1 is given a-ove' -*t there aresmall J*antities of some others detected in the samples. ;n several of thespectrographic analyses' partic*larly of the yellows' -*t also in one of the-l*e samples' iron and silicon were detected s*ggesting the addition ofearth pigments. + 6ne grained crystalline orange of fairly high refractiveinde0 also occ*rred in mi0t*re with zinc white' synthetic *ltramarine and alittle viridian for the ma*vish grey foregro*nd colo*r (%latelKa' p. &)' andaltho*gh this co*ld not -e separated for speci6c identi6cation' appearsmicroscopically similar in particle form to reference specimens of chromeorange (-asic lead chromate' %-ErK =' %-(K8) $).

;n a single sample' a light ma*ve paint layer *nderlies the green of thelandscape to the right hand edge of the pict*re (%late 1 -' p. &)'representing an e0periment in the colo*r composition of the middledistance' and perhaps originally intended to re


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Fo*r of Van Gogh s p*-lished letters to ,heo are relevant and give lists ofreJ*ests for s*pplies of t*-e colo*rs: two are from the +rles period' andtwo from St. 2my (note ). ,he St. 2my palette from this so*rcecomprises: lead white (


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5. I ;N,@ ' G. and I 8;,,@4 ' N.' Fl*orescence and %hoto Ehemical +ctivityof Xinc K0ides ' ‘7o*rnal o" 9il and Colo*r Chemists5 Association’, 33, =&&(15 )' pp.=&5 !$.1 . 4 K @L S4;,8 ' E.,.' ,he Mevelopment of +nti Ehal/ing French %rocessXinc K0ides ' ‘ :o*rnal o" 9il and Colo*r Chemists’ 5Association5, 33, =!=(15 )' p.=5 .11. Q ̂ 8N ' 8.' Xinc Ihite in . Feller (ed.)' ‘ Artists5 )igments A 6andbooko" their 6istory and Characteristics’, National Gallery of +rt' Iashington'Eam-ridge 3niversity %ress (15!")' pp.1"5 1!".1$. %aint esearch Station' ,eddington' 3ltra Violet e


22/25

corn ield! right edge

3) -ar blue o(ountain to"s! rightedge

+), )+ not detected not e*a(ined 0o(e drying oil

4) White o cloud!right edge +)3 )6 "resent not e*a(ined o "roteindetected! hence noegg # ats$ "resent)0o(e drying oil

5) 2ed i("asto! rightedge

+)1 3)3 trace substantial 0o t! "lastici("asto! ulnerableto action o water#note ! g$) 0o(edrying oil

6) ?reen o bushes!le t edge

+)6 ), not detected not e*a(ined 0o(e drying oil

.) Pale yellow odistant corn ield! le tedge

+) 1)3 not detected not e*a(ined 0o(e drying oil! no"rotein "resent#note e$


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Notes

a. Saponi6cation' acidi6cation and methylation of res*lting fatty acids' seep.5$.

-. +zelate to palmitate ratio# for signi6cance see te0t.c. %almitate to stearate ratio.d. GE analysis of -enzene sol*-les or -y presence of hydrocar-on pea/s(-ase pea/ ‘ m=>’ &) in saponi6ed' acidi6ed and methylated ether e0tract(note =' ).e. Ninhydrin test on hydrolysed fragment.f. ,he presence of s*-stantial fatty acid soaps wo*ld acco*nt for this.g. + methanol e0tract of a fragment showed negligi-le free fatty acids.9enzene sol*-les of the acid treated sample' after methylation showed+[% _ ' %[S Z 1.5 .

The mediumRaymond White


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;t is clear from the val*es of the ratios for methyl azelate to palmitate andmethyl palmitate to stearate' that the gro*nd has a -inder -ased on p*repoppyseed oil. ,here can -e little do*-t that the protein presentoriginated from gl*e size on the canvas' since it was impossi-le to o-taina sample of gro*nd witho*t some 6-res from the s*pport -eing incl*ded.+ s*rvey of the +[% ratios in ,a-le $' reveals a wide range of val*es. Ihere+[% ratio of m*ch a-ove 1. is recorded' one can have completecon6dence that p*re drying oil has -een *sed. Smaller val*es wo*lds*ggest incorporation of non drying fats' s*ch as egg fats and tallow' ornon drying oils. +s the +[% ratio decreases' so we may reasona-ly inferprogressively greater dil*tion of the drying oil -y s*ch fats and oils. ,hats*ch non drying components do not originate from admi0t*re with eggtempera is demonstrated -y the a-sence of detecta-le protein in samplesof pale yellow and white paints. Kn -alance' the analytical res*lts for themedi*m of this painting wo*ld s*ggest the *se of oil paint s*pplied -yartists colo*rmen. ,he presence of fatty acid soaps and ceresine wa0 toaid and maintain the dispersion of pigment in the medi*m in t*-e colo*rswo*ld seem J*ite reasona-le. +s the pict*re had not -een re lined' thereis no J*estion of the wa0 originating from s*ch a process. 4oreover' giventhe notoriety of zinc white pigment (present in these samples) for ca*singshrin/age and serio*s crac/ing of dried oil paint' the presence of nondrying oils in the mi0t*re wo*ld minimize this -y acting as a plasticizer. ;npassing it is worthy of note that there are recipes of the period'incorporating soaps with oil paint to f*rnish


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Scienti6c +dviser' 7ohn 4illsEhief estorer' 4artin Iyld@ditor: +sho/ oy

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Leighton Reeve Roy White1987