Janet Gwendolyn Smith Art

Woman in the Woods Forensic Research

First X-ray October 30, 2003 McCrone Associates Composite

Second X-ray (Radiograph) June 23, 2004 LODOX Statscan Creighton University Medical Center. Forensic radiograph transferred from film to digital image by Key Light Studio, Omaha, NE, USA.

Fine Art X-Ray Statement:Janet Gwendolyn Smith has dedicated years to art research of the nineteenth century. This includes the use of radiograph (x-ray) and pigment analysis in fine art discovery. She is a published author and contributes American artist biographical research for publication on the AskArt website. Forensic digital images and digital x-rays are her expertise. Partnering with the LODOX Corporation, her fine art research utilizes the "Statscan" digital x-ray technology to review fine art throughout the United States.

Pigment Analysis: October 30, 2003 McCrone Associates, Inc. report dated 20 February 2004. McCrone analysis confirmed all pigments are consistent with the artists palette in 1886.

Report samples No. 2 and No.15 both ground samples. No. 2 is white ground foreground consisting of lead white, emerald green, chrome yellow and barium sulfate.
No. 15 is the yellow pigment exposed in the tree cracks consisting of zinc white, chrome yellow, and barium sulfate.

The Van Gogh Museum in the exhibition article, 29 April 2002 "Van Gogh down to the Micrometer" examined four paintings from 1885 "The Old Man" to 1887 "Sunflowers Run to Seed".

The examination report acknowledges the artist's constant experiments with materials and techniques. The artist purchased new bright colors in Antwerp and emerald green was one of these (P8). Emerald green is present in this painting.

The same article (P12pr7&9English) states the artist's used barium sulfate in his ground.

The article (P12pr7English) states "As far as we know, this type of ground, containing almost exclusively barium sulfate is highly unusual.... the earliest example of a barite ground..." The article continues, (P12pr9English) "The brown paint layer in this sample was found to contain many barite particles, besides a lot of different colors including vermilion, chrome yellow, artificial ultramarine and organic red and brown pigments."

Forensic Pigment Comparison with Woman in the Woods. The ground used under the tree pigment to the far right with cracked pigment contains zinc white. Zinc white dried slow. Therefore, the trees have identifying cracks similar to the paintings noted in the Van Gogh Museum exhibition article.

Ultraviolet Photographs. The ultraviolet examination of the painting confirms no recent additions or changes to the painting as documented by the McCrone Associates, Inc. review and report. The ultraviolet image by a Key Light Studio supports the review and reveals additional figures. These figures include the artist's self-portrait wearing a straw hat on a tree directly to the left of the old woman.

The reverse of the ultraviolet image shows the artist's name VINCENT on the log in front of the old woman in the forest. Additional photographs.

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