Normal light
Georg Tappert painted Toilette of 1910 on one side of the canvas. On the opposing side, the artist painted Still Life with Dahlias and Fruit circa 1908. With the two sides spanning just two years apart, it is remarkable how much Tappert’s painting technique and style evolved.
Technical analysis of both sides reveal stark differences. The still life is painted over a warm orange ground layer using a soft, muted palette, and mottled brushstrokes articulate the flowers and fruit. In Toilette, colors divert from naturalism with bright hues painted over a luminous white ground, and the bold brushwork graphically outlines forms and blocks in color planes.
Georg Tappert, German, 1880–1957; Toilette, 1910 (recto) / c. 1908 (verso); double-sided oil on canvas; 36 x 33 3/4 inches; Saint Louis Art Museum, Bequest of Morton D. May 942:1983
Normal light, back of painting
On what is now the reverse of Toilette, Tappert first painted Still Life with Dahlias and Fruit circa 1908. The stippled, softly-blended colors in the still life, painted over an orange base layer, are vastly different from the Expressionist bold hues and blocky brushstrokes represented in Toilette. In the 1970s, conservators replaced a thin wooden stretcher with a more robust version with adjustable hardware, visible here.
Raking light
The odd quilting patterns visible in the raking image of Toilette can be partially explained by the presence of Still Life with Dahlias and Fruit painted on the reverse of the canvas. The still life, painted with thicker brushstrokes using the wet-in-wet technique, has induced stronger stress impacts on the canvas as the paint layers become more brittle and crack over time.
Ultraviolet-induced fluorescent (UVF)
Unlike the blended wet-in-wet paint application seen in Still Life with Dahlias and Fruit, Tappert allowed different paints to dry before blocking in uppermost colors in Toilette with a broad, flat-tipped brush. The technique is particularly visible in ultraviolet (UV) light, where the bright fluorescence of underlying zinc-laden whites, yellows, and purple peek through the top layers in the figure’s skin, garment, and couch. The hair pins, also painted with zinc yellow, are clearly delineated under UV.
Specular light
The matte quality of the paint layers in Tappert’s Toilette, as seen in specular light, is reinforced by the broad, flat application of the brushstrokes.
Infrared
In the infrared image, the outlines of the composition become bolder. The lack of any stray sketch lines or underlying design attests to Tappert’s confident application of the paint layers.
Infrared, back of painting
Not every technical image reveals a new discovery. While this infrared image contains no revealing information, it provides important documentation of the painting’s current condition.
Additional Objects
View all objects in the technical imaging suite to reveal hidden details and examine underlying material layers.
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Glossary
Back (Verso)
The back of a painting provides a wealth of information about its structure. Changes made to the canvas, such as visible repairs, reveal past damage or vulnerabilities. Markings, labels, and inscriptions often tell new stories of the painting’s past, including original titles, previous owners, and exhibition histories.
Raking Light
Raking light, directed from a side angle, casts surface textures into strong relief. This technique highlights details such as thick brushstrokes, canvas weave, or cracks in the paint layers.
Specular Light
Light cast directly onto the painting’s surface at a 90-degree angle highlights glossy or matte qualities. This technique helps determine if a varnish is present and quickly exposes variations of sheen in different paints.
Infrared Reflectography
Infrared reflectography (IRR) uses a specially adapted camera to detect infrared energy. When an image of a painting is captured using infrared light, some pigments appear transparent, which enables the viewer to see through overlying layers of paint. This technique often reveals hidden details, such as preparatory drawings by the artist or parts of the composition the artist painted over.
Ultraviolet Radiation
Ultraviolet (UV) light sources cause certain materials to absorb and re-emit colorful light, known as fluorescence. The fluorescence of some materials can identify certain pigments, such as zinc white, which produces a vibrant glow. Conservators can also detect previous treatments, which may appear dark purple.
X-radiography
X-radiography uses an X-ray source and sensitive film to produce an image of the painting’s composite layers. Materials transparent to X-rays appear dark in the images, while X-ray–absorbing materials like lead white and metal hardware appear white. Artist’s changes and, in some exciting instances, completely different, earlier compositions may be unveiled.