The reason for the fading of the "Scream" has been established

Scientists have established the reason why the famous painting by Edvard Munch "Scream" fades. The researchers examined the surface of the canvas using x-rays and an electron microscope. According to the results of the study, the problem that befell "Scream" concerns many other works of art created in the period from the end of the XIX to the beginning of the XX century. It's all about the colors used by the masters of that time.

Artists often used paints that had synthetic components added to them. Experimenting with pigments, the artists could not predict the consequences that were expected by the finished paintings. The paintings were bright, which was very useful for works written in the styles of post-impressionism or fauvism.

Looking at the paint layer with the help of modern equipment, the scientists saw something similar to stalagmites. These are microscopic crystals that are a sign of material degradation. Especially strong changes affected the part of the sky, water and the lower part of the face of the Central figure. It turned out that due to environmental effects, yellow cadmium sulfide oxidized, and as a result, two new compounds appeared: cadmium sulfate and cadmium carbonate.

It is impossible to restore the original colors of the painting, and now art historians in collaboration with chemists are trying to reconstruct the masterpiece of painting using digital technologies. For example, using augmented reality can help you not only see what "Scream" looked like decades ago, but also compare the virtual version with the original.