Posted on 01/24/2025 5:29:52 PM PST by SunkenCiv
A hidden face recently uncovered in a 1789 Joshua Reynolds painting proves the devil is in the details. In "The Death of Cardinal Beaufort," Reynolds included a demon-like face lurking behind the dying cardinal. But the controversial and chilling demon appeared to fade out of the painting over the years, as multiple conservationists worked on it. Now, the painting has been restored to include the original fiend...
Reynolds created the painting for the Shakespeare Gallery in London's Pall Mall at the end of his career and the inclusion of the lurking figure over the deathbed was not well received, said John Chu, the Trust's senior national curator for pictures and sculpture...
Early prints of the painting showed the demon, but in a second printing of the work in 1792, there was an attempt to remove the evil-looking face, according to the Trust...
The work seemed overpainted to the Trust conservationists. Several layers of paint and six layers of varnish made conservation difficult, said to Becca Hellen, the Trust's senior national conservator for paintings...
The painting is on display at the Petworth House in West Sussex – where it has been for decades, excluding when it was being conserved by the Trust.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Thanks for the link- I’ll check thst out too. Alwzys fascinated with those artists that began movements way ahead of their time, and who influenced future artists.
I have had several books for many years that somehow became lost during moves, we moved a lot. Several I can never get back. One about van gogh with all his writings, drawings, painting in it- I read that massive book cover to cover, and really got to appreciate what he went through, and how his brother and sister in law tried to help him- lots of love there. Poor Vincent. Tried so hard to express what was in his heart on canvass, and even thougn he succeeded, while he was alive he felt he couldn’t quite express adequately enough his passion. A true tormented soul.
Anyway, appreciate the links to new to me artists.
I’m the one that saw some weird faces with gasmasks in the Cybertruk the moment it blew up, but I don’t see a demon face here.. Where is it?
It’s in plain sight, right behind the head of the stricken cardinal. Ultimately though it doesn’t matter, it’s all in the imagination.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.