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Why are van Gogh's paintings slowly turning white?
- mkempe 12y agoIn a similar vein, ancient greek sculptures have lost their painted appearance. http://harvardmagazine.com/2007/11/dazzlers-html http://harvardmagazine.com/2007/11/dazzlers-html
- bewo001 12y agoOil paint is in general not really good for long term storage. It expands as it oxidizes. Some pigments slow down or speed up this process. The thicker the layers, the faster they will crack. Combined with a lot of untested pigments and techniques, the art of the 19th and 20th won't last as long as pre-industrial art. 600 year old egg tempera paintings are often in better condition than 300 year old oil paintings. And now I will back-up some jpegs to a usb stick that probably won't survive a single decade...
- mpdehaan2 12y agoVan Gogh is perhaps one of the most notable for artists whose work in person doesn't translate remotely the same to in print or on the internet. Go see some sometime if there's an art museum nearby that has some, if you haven't already, as it is quite awesome for the texture and colors.
- brd 12y agoAfter seeing his work in person Van Gogh immediately became my favorite artist. It's sad to read this news and makes me want to travel back to Amsterdam to spend another day soaking in his paintings. If you have any appreciation for art and you get the chance, you really should take the time to go see his work.