X-rays unravel mysterious degradation of a Van Gogh painting - Synchrotron X-ray analysis has identified why parts of a Van Gogh painting changed colour over time: a supposedly protective varnish applied after the master's death has made some bright yellow flowers turn to orange-grey. The origin is a degradation process at the interface between paint and varnish, revealed by studies at the ESRF and at DESY. After this discovery, conservators in many museums have to newly address the question of restoring Van Gogh paintings.(10.1021/ac3015627)

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