Scientists Say It's Extremely Unlikely Pollock Painted Contested Works

CLEVELAND—Scientific studies performed on 32 paintings discovered in 2002 and believed by some to be the work of Jackson Pollock have found that two-thirds of the works include paints and pigments that were not marketed or patented until the 1980s, well after Pollock’s death in 1956. Now some scientists are saying it is extremely unlikely that Pollock could have obtained the compounds during his lifetime, reports the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The works were found by Alex Matter, son of Herbert Matter, a close friend of Pollock, in a storage space belonging to his father. Pollock expert Ellen Landau authenticated the works in 2005, an assertion that has been highly contested since.

Some supporters of the authentication have questioned whether Pollock could have been provided with the paints before they were marketed. The Plain Dealer has found in a series of interviews with scientists and paint experts, however, that they believe the scenario is highly unlikely. Donald Farnum, a retired professor credited with the 1974 discovery of an organic pigment that was used in 10 of the works, said it was “unlikely to the point of fantasy” that Pollock could have obtained the pigment in his lifetime.