Conservators restore 17th-century portrait of noblewoman to remove cosmetic touch-ups

By Lianne Kolirin, CNN

London (CNN) — Airbrushing and beauty filters may feel like a modern phenomenon, but conservation work to a portrait painted in the 17th century has revealed that touch-ups to images are nothing new.

English Heritage, an organization that manages more than 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites in England, has discovered that a portrait dating back almost four centuries was later altered to “improve” the subject’s appearance.

Conservators have now revealed the true face of noblewoman Diana Cecil, after spending hours removing changes to her features.

Cecil (1596–1654), was the great-granddaughter of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, one of Elizabeth I’s closest friends and advisers. The powerful family was influential at the Jacobean court.

According to English Heritage, Cecil was “one of the great beauties of the age” but the full-length painting was found to have undergone some cosmetic alterations since it was painted in the 17th century.

Cecil’s lips were made fuller and her hairline was brought forward, giving the impression of a smaller forehead.

Conservators found that the painting, which will go on display at Kenwood House in London on November 30, had at some point been rolled widthways, causing “significant damage.”

It is for this reason that the changes – which English Heritage believes were made in the late 19th or early 20th century – were made.

The extensive restoration project has not only returned Cecil’s hairline and lips to the original depiction, but has also removed yellowing layers of old varnish.

This led to another surprising find. Hidden in the curtain behind the subject was the signature of artist Cornelius Johnson and the date 1634 – four years earlier than when the portrait was believed to have been painted.

Alice Tate-Harte, collections conservator (fine art) at English Heritage, said in a press release: “As a paintings conservator I am often amazed by the vivid and rich colours that reveal themselves as I remove old, yellowing varnish from portraits, but finding out Diana’s features had been changed so much was certainly a surprise!

“While the original reason for overpainting could have been to cover damage from the portrait being rolled, the restorer certainly added their own preferences to ‘sweeten’ her face. I hope I’ve done Diana justice by removing those additions and presenting her natural face to the world.”

The newly updated portrait is to go on display next to a portrait of Cecil’s husband, Thomas Bruce, the 1st Earl of Elgin.

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