Did you know that Edgar Degas’s Portrait of a Woman holds a long-buried secret? Beneath its visible layers, the painting conceals another portrait—a ghostly figure inverted and hidden from view for more than a century.
When the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) acquired the artwork in 1937, early critics noted its characteristic brown hues and discoloration, but no one suspected these imperfections were clues to an earlier creation by the celebrated French artist.
Thanks to cutting-edge technology at the Australian Synchrotron, the hidden portrait has now been revealed, offering new insights into Degas’s artistic process and leaving art historians abuzz with questions: Who was this mysterious model?
Why did Degas abandon her portrait? And what can this discovery teach us about the evolution of his work?
The answers began to emerge through a meticulous investigation involving advanced X-ray fluorescence imaging—a story as much about innovation as it is about art.
The Hidden Figure Beneath
When Degas painted Portrait of a Woman, likely in the 1870s, he was already known for capturing fleeting expressions and candid moments.
Yet, this artwork wasn’t entirely new. Beneath the visible image lies an earlier portrait of a young woman, inverted on the canvas.
X-ray imaging first revealed faint outlines of this concealed figure, hinting at a hasty decision by Degas to repurpose his canvas.
But how old was this hidden portrait, and who was the woman it depicted? Early analyses suggested the original layer might date back to the 1860s, a period when Degas was still refining his style.
Further investigations pointed to Emma Dobigny, a frequent model for Degas, known for her appearances in several of his works, including the renowned Portrait of Mlle. Emma Dobigny (1869).
Yet this discovery raised as many questions as it answered. Was Degas dissatisfied with the earlier painting, or did practical constraints lead him to reuse the canvas?
Art historians speculated, but the true breakthrough came when science stepped in.
Can Art and Science Coexist?
Traditionally, the analysis of historical art relied on visual inspection and limited tools, with many assuming that invasive methods were the only way to uncover hidden details.
But this approach often risks damaging priceless works of art.
Enter the Australian Synchrotron, where technology has revolutionized the field by making it possible to study hidden layers without harming the original piece.
At its core was the Maia detector, an innovative X-ray fluorescence imaging system capable of capturing ultra-high-resolution elemental maps of a painting.
Developed in collaboration with the CSIRO and Brookhaven National Laboratory, the detector transformed the way researchers examined hidden layers.
Before its introduction, imaging techniques were limited to small areas and low resolution.
The Maia detector, however, provided millions of pixels of data in hours, allowing for detailed and expansive scans.
This technology challenged the assumption that art and science exist in separate realms.
Instead, it demonstrated how advancements in physics and imaging could illuminate the stories behind masterpieces, enriching our understanding of both the art and the artist.
A Beam Brighter than the Sun
The Australian Synchrotron’s X-ray fluorescence microscopy beamline, capable of producing light a million times brighter than the sun, became the key to unlocking the mystery beneath Portrait of a Woman.
Researchers worked meticulously to design a custom mount for the painting, positioning the detector just 2mm above its surface to ensure precision.
The scanning process lasted 33 hours, capturing images with a resolution exceeding 31 megapixels—higher than most modern digital cameras.
This resolution allowed researchers to isolate individual elements in the paint, such as lead and iron, and map their distribution across the canvas.
By intentionally applying false colors to highlight these elements, the team could visualize the hidden portrait in astonishing detail.
As the data streamed in, pixel by pixel, the concealed image began to emerge on the monitor.
The moment was electric. For the first time in over a century, the face of the hidden woman was visible once more.
The Woman Behind the Layers
Based on comparisons with other works by Degas, the hidden figure was identified as Emma Dobigny, one of the artist’s favored models during the 1860s.
Emma’s delicate features and soft expressions made her a popular choice among artists of her time, and her collaboration with Degas produced some of his most iconic portraits.
The rediscovery of her likeness beneath Portrait of a Woman offers a rare glimpse into Degas’s creative process.
It suggests that even the great masters occasionally reworked or abandoned their efforts, repurposing materials in ways that modern viewers might never suspect.
What This Discovery Means for Art and Science
The revelation of the hidden portrait underscores the transformative power of interdisciplinary collaboration.
By combining the expertise of physicists, art historians, and conservators, the NGV and Australian Synchrotron team have not only solved a century-old mystery but also set a precedent for future studies.
Paul Bongiorno, one of the researchers involved, highlights the broader implications: “This technology opens up possibilities we couldn’t have imagined before.
It allows us to study artistic techniques, materials, and even the decisions behind masterpieces, all without causing harm.”
The discovery also raises intriguing questions about the potential for similar investigations in other artworks.
How many more hidden stories lie beneath the surface of famous paintings? And what could they teach us about the evolution of art?
Pioneering the Next Chapter
As imaging technology continues to advance, the collaboration between the NGV and Australian Synchrotron offers a glimpse of what’s possible.
Future projects could delve even deeper into the layers of history, uncovering details invisible to the human eye.
For now, the hidden portrait beneath Portrait of a Woman serves as a testament to both the ingenuity of Degas and the power of modern science.
It reminds us that even in the realm of art, where creativity reigns supreme, technology can play a pivotal role in bringing forgotten stories to light.
Where Science Meets Mastery
The intersection of art and science has never been more exciting.
Through the lens of the Australian Synchrotron, we’ve gained not only a deeper appreciation for Degas’s genius but also a renewed sense of curiosity about the layers of history hidden within every brushstroke.
In a world where innovation often feels detached from tradition, this discovery proves otherwise: technology can enhance our understanding of the past, honoring its beauty while propelling us into the future.
