article_snippet: They have found that a rare mineral in an intense red-coloured paint used by the Dutch impressionist is turning white as a rare mineral in an intense red-coloured paint used by the Dutch impressionist breaks down into flaky white crystals.
article_snippet: The colours in Vincent van Gogh masterpiece Sunflowers, two versions of which are shown above on display at the National Gallery, are feared to have also changed as the yellow and red pigments have degraded over time .
article_snippet: Samples from Van Gogh's paintings say a rare mineral in an intense red-coloured paint used by the Dutch impressionist is the missing link that may explain why the red lead paint, known as minimum, is turning white.
article_snippet: Red lead is not the first pigment to be found in Van Goghwork to be failing to stand the test of time.
article_snippet: Researchers recently revealed that a red lake pigment Vincent van Gogh also used has been fading.
article_snippet: This had led Researchers to conclude that the blue irises of Vincent van Gogh Field with Irises near Arles, painted in 1888, were originally a purple colour.
article_snippet: Curators at the Van Gogh Musuem in Amsterdam have also found that the colours in Van GoghBedroom are also fading during a project to restore the painting.
article_snippet: Curators at the Van Gogh Musuem in Amsterdam found in a series of letters to Vincent van Gogh brother and sister, Vincent van Gogh described in detail the vivid colours of Vincent van Gogh room.
article_snippet: Previous work by Professor Janssens has also shown that a bright yellow paint, known as chrome yellow, in Vincent van Gogh paintings has also been changing colour.
article_snippet: Professor Janssens believes that Vincent van Gogh technique of blending white and yellow paint together may actually be to blame for the chemical reactions causing this darkening.
article_snippet: Dr Koen Janssens, a chemist at the University of AntwerpAntwerp, said Dr Koen Janssens, a chemist at the University of Antwerp findings may explain why other paintings by Vincent van Gogh, such as the priceless Sunflowers and The Bedroom, have faded over time.
article_snippet: Speaking to Chemistry World, Professor Janssens said: 'Normally, the idea is other paintings by Van Gogh, such as the priceless Sunflowers and The Bedroom are there for a hundred years, or 500 years, and other paintings by Van Gogh, such as the priceless Sunflowers and The Bedroom’re static – nothing really changes. '
article_snippet: Janssens added that other pigments used by Van Gogh may also be unstable.
article_snippet: Janssens said: 'We are currently looking together with colleagues from the U.S., Italy and the Netherlands at the instability of the red dye eosine that Van Gogh used to give some of Van Gogh paintings a red/purple tone and also sometimes to make white areas somewhat pinkish.
article_snippet: Philippe Walter, director of the Laboratory of Moleuclar and Structural Archaeology in France, told Chemistry World: 'For the conservation of works of art, it is important to look at this phenomenon to be sure to take care about the quantity of light [in museums].' Van Gogh, shown in the self portrait on the left, used vivid red colours in many of Van Gogh paintings, like the $50 million 'Poppy Flowers' (right) which was stolen from Cairo's Mohammed Mahmoud Khalil Museum in 2010 .
highlights_snippet: Red lead pigment used by Vincent van Gogh has been found to be fading .
  