Scientists are uncovering the history of climate change in the works of the old masters.
The scientists are analysing the striking sunsets painted by [JMW] Turner and dozens of other artists to work out the cooling effects of huge volcanic eruptions. Scientists are uncovering the history of climate change in the works of the old masters.
By studying the colour of sunsets painted before and after such eruptions, the researchers say they can calculate the amount of material in the sky at the time…The team found 181 artists who had painted sunsets between 1500 and 1900. The 554 pictures included works by Rubens, Rembrandt, Gainsborough and Hogarth. They used a computer to work out the relative amounts of red and green in each picture, along the horizon. Sunlight scattered by airborne particles appears more red than green, so the reddest sunsets indicate the dirtiest skies. The researchers found most pictures with the highest red/green ratios were painted in the three years following a documented eruption. There were 54 of these “volcanic sunset” pictures.
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