EXPERIMENTAL REPORT
Principal Proposer:
Experimental Team:
ART-05-0012
Proposal N°
Neutron autoradiographs of
“The Repudiation of Hagar”
by Govert Flinck, 110 x 138,7 cm2
Instrument
C. Laurenze-Landsberg - Gemäldegalerie Berlin
C. Schmidt - Gemäldegalerie Berlin
L.A. Mertens - HMI Berlin
B. Schröder-Smeibidl - HMI Berlin
Date(s) of Experiment
Date of Report:
Introduction
Neutron autoradiography (NAR) has turned out to be
a suitable non-destructive method to investigate
paintings. The main advantages of neutrons in
comparison to X-rays are the high penetration depth and
the fact that the activation cross section (n,β) depends on
the isotope. Therefore different pigments due to different
nuclides with different half-life periods can be depicted
on separated films yielding a contrast variation. In the
present experiment this method is used to analyse the
painting techniques in order to learn more about the
special individual technique and brushstroke of the artist.
A few years ago the painting “Susanna and the
Elders”, an art work which is only attributed to G.
Flinck, was investigated by NAR at the BER II and a
characteristic handwriting applied by the artist was
observed. In 2004 a neutron investigation of the painting
“The Hermit”, a work of an unknown artist, was
performed which was suspected of being created by
Fig. 1. The Repudiation of Hagar by Govert Flinck,
canvas 110,7 x 138,7 cm2, Gemäldegalerie Berlin
Cat. No 815
H. Rembrandt. But, by neutron autoradiography we
found characteristic features which could be identified
with the handwriting of G. Flinck, because there was a
remarkable accordance to the NAR results of the
painting “Susanna and the Elders”. It was the aim of the
present study of the painting “The Repudiation of
Hagar” (Die Verstoßung der Hagar), a painting which is
signed by Govert Flinck and insofar accepted as being an
original of Flinck, to learn more about Flinck’s
original handwriting, to compare the results with
the earlier experiments and to possibly enlighten the
issue of authorship of “The Hermit”.
ART-05-0012.doc // 02.05.06
B8
Local Contact
Birgit Schröder-Smeibidl
31.05. / 20.09.2005
28.02.2006
Govert Flinck (1615-1660) apprenticed by
Rembrandt and known as one of his best pupils, was a
Dutch painter of the Baroque era famous for his portraits
and historical scenes. Among others, he worked also for
the Great Elector, Friedrich Wilhelm of Brandenburg.
The topic of the present painting is the scriptural story of
Abraham, Sara and Hagar. As Sara had finally born
Isaac, Hagar and Ishmael, the son of Abraham and the
maid Hagar, were banished by Abraham into the desert.
Results
Because of the size of the painting, the neutron
irradiation had to be carried out in two steps. Afterwards
the neutron autoradiographs were assembled (see Fig. 2).
In the neutron autoradiographs, revealing the elements
Hg and Cu contained in the pigments vermilion and
malachite, several pentimenti could be observed.
Obviously in the background on the right side the figure
Fig. 2: 3rd autoradiograph of The Repudiation of
Hagar by Govert Flinck
of Sara wearing a cape was painted in an earlier version.
This additional figure was already anticipated by an
Infrared record done complementary at the Berlin
Picture Gallery. Unfortunately a clear individual
brushstroke or characteristic feature of G. Flinck could
not be observed and documented in this work. Therefore,
this up to now sole examination of a certain and accepted
work of Flinck did neither foster the thesis that the
unknown work “The Hermit” might be attributed to
Flinck nor confirm that the special brushstroke observed
in the painting “Susanna and the Elders” could be
definitely linked with Flinck. These questions still
remain unsolved. Additional works of G. Flinck have to
be investigated to verify this issue and to clearly identify
the individual style and brushstroke of G. Flinck.
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