During the pandemic-induced closure in 2020, Getty conservators seized a unique opportunity to conduct an in-depth examination of Van Gogh’s Irises.
Devi Ormond, Getty Museum associate paintings conservator, and Catherine Patterson, GCI research chemist, utilized a variety of imaging techniques, including stereo microscopy, infrared reflectography, x-radiography, and macro x-ray fluorescence scanning, to analyze the painting’s materials and techniques.
One of the most significant findings was the discovery of Van Gogh’s original violet hues beneath the blue paint, inspired by the irises in the gardens of the Saint-Paul-de-Mausole psychiatric clinic where he was a patient. Ormond and Patterson visited the clinic and its private garden to gather clues about the flowers he painted so energetically.
This discovery, along with other scientific insights, is now featured in our
@PST_ART exhibition, Ultra-Violet: New Light on Van Gogh’s Irises. Learn more:
gty.art/4frRzb4
ALT "Irises," 1889, Vincent van Gogh. Oil on canvas. Getty Museum