Van Gogh Scientific Image Analysis
Raking Light, IR, UV and X-Rays of the painting reveal what's beneath the paint.
UV and IR details showing pentimenti (lines) beneath the paint
The Raking Light Swirly Clouds below are almost identical to those of Sunset in Montmartre painted by Vincent in 1887.
Van Gogh Scientific Image Analysis. The image to the right bearing the signature is a UV partial laid on top of raking light. The violet area above the signature shows that this portion of the painting was retouched, which I had suspected. It does not appear to cover another signature, but black lines known as pentimenti.
One has to wonder what occurred here. Did Vincent change this section and then sign it? He would sometimes return to his works years later and alter them.
The entire painting appears to sport pentimenti beneath the paint. Black lines can indicate charcoal as an initial drawing of the work, but these are not consistent with the finished product, which in itself tells us that this painting is not a forgery of any nature.
X-radiography of many paintings by Van Gogh reveal images beneath the paint. The x-rays of ‘Farmhouse with Barn and Well’ appear to show a previous composition, including what may be a farmer (below), but I am not an expert in x-ray analysis! I have recently turned the x-ray 180 degrees, and now I am seeing huts, similar to the mud huts Vincent painted in 1883, and Rural Village at Night 1884.
If you know Van Gogh, you KNOW Van Gogh.
Parts of the Raking Light from Farmhouse with Barn and Well is almost identical to that of Wheat stacks in Provence – 1888 and The Hill of Montmartre with Stone Quarry – 1886
The canvas Vincent used in 1885 and 1888 is identical to the canvas used for Farmhouse with Barn and Well
Head of a Man – Head of a Woman – Woman with a broom – Digger – Man at Table and more, all have the same canvas weave as the painting in question, and each one painted in Nuenen.
