Hans van Meegeren On Trial

Hans van Meegeren Born in Deventer, The Netherlands in 1889 An architect at first, but turns to art in 1913 when he wins first prize for a drawing of the interior of a church He began to research for the forgery of a Vermeer in 1932 and had begun by 1936 Arrested for conspiring with the enemy in 1945; his confession that he forged the paintings saved him from this charge Found guilty of forgery; died in prison of a heart attack less than a year later

Van Meegeren’s Best Known Work Why Forge? Not very successful on his own Bitterness toward the art world because of this Mental condition Financial gain “The defendant’s character leads to sensitiveness to criticism, fed by a revenge complex which explains his anti-social tendencies (i.e. – crime)” – van der Horst

Why Vermeer? Fairly unknown during his lifetime Girl with a Pearl Earring Small body of works Not an “heirloom” painter (vs. Rembrandt)

Christ in the House of Martha and Mary

Caravaggio- Supper at Emmaus

The Technique Christ at Emmaus

Tests Woman in Blue Woman with a Lute

Pigments UltramarineWhite LeadVermillion Yellow OchreGreen EarthIndigo

Crack Lines Girl with a Pearl Earring

Crack Lines Christ at Emmaus

Crack Lines

Phenolformaldehyde resin

Examining Christ

The Last Supper

I Have Summoned up the Depths

The Last Supper Girl with a Pearl Earring

Physics Radiograph Analysis Christ at EmmausWashing of the Feet

Sketch at Trial Radiograph Christ at Emmaus

Physics Radiograph Analysis Christ at EmmausWashing of the Feet

Radiograph Washing of the Feet

XRF Analysis Woman Taken in Adultery Examination of Christ’s Robe

Ultramarine Na 8-10 Al 6 Si 6 O 24 S 2-4

Na = 1.02 keV Al = 1.47 keV Si = 1.72 keV S = keV Characteristic X-Ray Transitions E x = (Z-1) 2 · 13.6 [eV] · (1- 1/n i 2 )

Counts Na Al Si S

Na Al Si S ? Counts

Ultramarine Na 8-10 Al 6 Si 6 O 24 S 2-4 Cobalt Blue CoO · Al 2 O 3

E x = (Z-1) 2 · 13.6 [eV] · (1- 1/n i 2 ) Co = keV !

Na Al Si S Co Counts

Cobalt Blue Discovered in 1802 by Thénard Vermeer died in 1675

XRF Analysis Woman Taken in Adultery

Physics 2 – Van Meegeren 0 Iron Smelting White Lead

Iron Smelting Ore Ra-226 Pb-210 SlagWhite Lead

Half-life Pb- 210: 22 years Half-Life Ra- 226: 1600 years

Sample Calculations Ra- 226: constant- k Since both these times are relatively short compared to the half-life of radium, the activity will remain approximately constant Measuring activity over a periods of 300 years (the time when Vermeer would have smelted) and 50 years (the time when Van Meegeren would have smelted)

Sample Calculations Pb-110: Measuring activity over a periods of 50 years (the time when Van Meegeren would have smelted) and 300 years (the time when Vermeer would have smelted) 1g 50 years A = λN N 0 (Pb-110) = 5.48 x atoms N (Pb-110) = 5.13 x atoms A (Pb-110) = 5.25 x decays/second

Sample Calculations Pb-110: Measuring activity over a periods of 50 years (the time when Van Meegeren would have smelted) and 300 years (the time when Vermeer would have smelted) 1g 300 years A = λN N 0 (Pb-110) = 5.48 x atoms N (Pb-110) = 4.3 x atoms A (Pb-110) = 3.15 x 10 7 decays/second

Pb-110/ Ra-226 Ratio 3.15 x 10 7 decays/second5.25 x decays/second kk 60% years

Hans van Meegeren On Trial