Van Gogh Scientific Image Analysis

Raking Light, IR, UV and X-Rays of the painting reveal what's beneath the paint.
UV-Van-Gogh-AK
UV of Farmhouse with Barn and Well (PIQ)
X-Ray-Van-Gogh-AK
X-RAY of Farmhouse with Barn and Well
Xray unsharp mask Van Gogh Collaboration
X-RAY unsharp mask of Farmhouse with Barn and Well (PIQ)
Van Gogh Raking Light Farmhouse
RAKING LIGHT of Farmhouse with Barn and Well (PIQ)
Infrared of Van Gogh / Kerssemakers
IR of Farmhouse with Barn and Well (PIQ)
UV and IR details showing pentimenti (lines) beneath the paint
Van Gogh pentimenti lines
Pentimenti lines
Pentimenti Figure

The Raking Light Swirly Clouds below are almost identical to those of Sunset in Montmartre painted by Vincent in 1887.

Raking Light Swirly Clouds
UV partial showing pentimenti
UV partial showing pentimenti
UV partial showing pentimenti

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.

Raking Light UV Van Gogh AK
RL and UV showing modification

 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.

Portion of x-ray: Farmhouse with Barn and Well
X-ray partial: Farmhouse with Barn and Well
Portion of x-ray: Farmhouse with Barn and Well hidden Farmer
X-ray of Farmhouse with Barn and Well showing hidden Farmer

If you know Van Gogh, you KNOW Van Gogh.

IR partial showing brush strokes
Portion of X-ray Farmhouse with Barn and Well
X-Ray partial showing brush strokes
IR partial showing pentimenti (lines)
IR partial showing pentimenti (lines)

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

Farmhouse with Barn and Well Raking Light
Farmhouse with Barn and Well - Raking Light
Farmhouse with Barn and Well Raking Light
Farmhouse with Barn and Well - Raking Light
View of Paris and Farmhouse with Barn and Well
View of Paris and Farmhouse with Barn and Well
Van Gogh Sheaves of wheat
IR Comparison
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.

Canvas comparison - Head of a man / Farmhouse with Barn and Well
Canvas comparison - Head of a man / Farmhouse with Barn and Well
Van Gogh Fisherman IR Comparison
IR comparison - Fisherman (left) Farmhouse (right)

View original imaging files here: Files – Vincent Van Gogh Blog

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