The Van Gogh Museum recently discovered a new work by the Dutch artist. Entitled Sunset at Montmajour, the painting measures 72 x 93 cm (28.34 x 36.60 in). It is a true rarity that a work of such caliber could be identified as authentic and become part of the Museum's collection. The attribution was the result of exhaustive historic-artistic, documental and technical research. This discovery underscores the importance of research and analysis work, just as it will become evident in Van Gogh at Work, an exhibition that will open from September 24 to the end of October of 2004."
To determine the context of the painting, experts at the museum performed a thorough research surrounding the work's style, theme and composition, as well as an inquiry into Van Gogh's activities during the summer of 1888. After having identified the place that the image depicts as the Montmajour hill near Arles, researchers also found references to the work in a letters written by Van Gogh. The origin of the painting was traced back to the inventory of works inherited by Van Gogh's brother, Theo, after the artist's death in 1890.
The process of technical analysis became a joint effort between the Museum and the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (RCE). The work was x-rayed; its canvas was analyzed in a computer and fluorescent spectrometer technology (XRF) was used to identify the pigments. Lastly, the microscopic examination revealed the methodology in Van Gogh's approach in terms of the structure of the layers of paint. The pigments correspond to that which is known as Van Gogh's Arles palette and also show discolorations that are typical of his work. The same type of canvas was also identified in another of his paintings entitled The Rocks, a work that is part of the collection at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston—it was also created in 1888 and was rendered in a very similar fashion.
For more information about this recently discovered work and the research performed for its identification, the museum will offer two conferences on October 2 and on October 16, at 2:30 pm in the Museum's auditorium. Admission is free and reservations can be requested by email aanmeldingen@vangoghmuseum.nl Because of the limited capacity it is recommended that reservations are scheduled ahead of time.