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Can you imagine finding objects concealed beneath the layers of paint? That’s what happened to us in Balthus’s picture, a canvas full of mysteries. Here we show you the hat hidden beneath the paint film, which the artist initially depicted lying on the rounded sofa and decided not to include in the final composition.
X-radiography enabled us to learn about the changes the painter made during the execution process.
While conducting our technical study of the painting, we found a fingerprint, which could be Otto Dix’s, impressed on the picture’s surface beside the tiepin.
Infrared reflectography reveals the preparatory drawing or sketch concealed by the layers of paint. It shows how the artist progressively made changes to the composition.
An area treated for internal damage located precisely in the focal point of the work is clearly visible in the X-ray image: the Virgin’s face.