37 
N°I 2025   MuseoMag 
For this analysis, the light source is placed behind 
the artwork and the camera in front of it. This 
produces an image with less contrast but greater 
translucency, helping us further understand the 
layers. 
DOODVERF OR DEAD-COLOURING 
With this method, we managed to detect a prelimi- 
nary stage of the creation that comes after the 
drawing: dead-colouring. Doodverf in 
17th 
century 
Dutch painting refers to any painted stages between 
the underdrawing and the finished, “alive” painting 
in its full detail and colour. It could range from mono- 
chrome modeling in brown, green or gray to co- 
loured tints to plan out the composition. In the trans- 
mitted IR we could clearly see that the main forms 
and shadows were painted in a sketch to determine 
the figure’s position. Most shading has been modi- 
fied in the painted version, making it clear that this 
is a preliminary stage. Other compositional changes 
can be seen if we compare the IR picture and the 
final painting.   
PENTIMENTI OR REGRETS 
The exact terminology for these adjustments is pen- 
timenti, from the Italian word for “regretting”. A no- 
table change is the right arm of the sitter, which was 
originally positioned lower but later adjusted slightly 
higher. In the sketch, the fingers of his right hand 
were also initially more curled, and his collar simpler. 
It was later refined and extended on the left side. 
Using infrared light, we traveled together back 
to the 17th century and got a glimpse of De Bray’s 
practice. We uncovered the dead-colouring stage, 
which usually follows the drawing. However, we 
cannot conclude that there is no underdrawing just 
because we have not detected it – absence of evi- 
dence is not evidence of absence. As we continue to 
implement innovative techniques, the boundaries of 
discovery are constantly expanding, with many more 
hidden insights still waiting to be revealed. 
Elisa Barzotti and Laura Guilluy 
RESTAURATION 
Position of pentimenti; the collar was initially painted smaller, 
the arm placed lower and the hand more curled. 
© 
mnaha 
/ 
tamara 
zorn 
/ 
tom 
lucas 
View of the photographer’s computer screen during IR photography.