@historywithmegs: Editing pictures with the likes of facetune may be a modern phenomenon, but painting conservators have discovered what seems to be an early modern equivalent! Some have even dubbed the adjustments as ‘Kylie Jenner treatment’! When working on a 17th century painting of English noblewoman Diana Cecil, conservators found that alterations had been made to the original representation of her face, with her lips being made to look fuller and plumper, and her hairline being lowered. Diana was probably in her thirties when the portrait was created and was an established member of society at the time: she could claim descent from Elizbaeth I’s adviser, William Cecil, and was considered one of the most beautiful women in the country. Despite this, the mystery artist still thought it right to adjust her appearance. It is thought that the alterations were made between the 17th and 19th centuries, though EH Curator Louise Cooling suggests that they were made in the later period, ‘centuries after it [the portrait] was painted’. Whatever the case, the changes were discovered after a layer of old varnish was removed during the conservation process. And the alterations have been properly removed, along with the varnish. Alice Tate-Harte, who is Collections Conservator of Fine Art at English Heritage, has commented ‘I hope I’ve done Diana justice by removing these additions and presenting her natural face to the world’. The portrait has been conserved by English Heritage and is part of the Suffolk Collection. You can see it for yourself at Kenwood in London. Images: The Guardian & Wikimedia commons Sources - check out the guardian article and English Heritage channels to learn more!! #historytok #historytiktok #LearnOnTikTok #womenshistory

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Saturday 23 December 2023 13:42:56 GMT