Hidden Legs Found Beneath Sargent Painting in The Hague

Conservation of John Singer Sargent's 'Egyptian Indigo Dyers' (1891) at The Mesdag Collection in The Hague has uncovered a hidden composition beneath the painting. Macro X-ray fluorescence imaging revealed a pair of legs, possibly a copy of Diego Velázquez's 'The Buffoon Don John of Austria' (1632) that Sargent repurposed. The discovery also showed fingerprints along the right edge, indicating Sargent handled the wet canvas. The painting, the only Sargent in a Dutch public collection, was removed from view due to yellowed varnish. Conservators replaced discolored overpaints and added fresh varnish, restoring the white turbans' brightness. Analysis detected cobalt, ultramarine, and mercury (from vermillion) in the blue areas. Sargent painted the scene after traveling through West Asia and North Africa in 1890-1891, seeking inspiration for Boston Public Library murals. The Mesdag Collection, now a Van Gogh Museum partner, acquired the work between 1899 and 1902. Italian artist Antonio Mancini may have facilitated the sale. Sargent had moved to the UK permanently in 1885. The conservation, led by René Boitelle, offers new insight into Sargent's fast and practical working process.