Painting gets x-ray to solve mystery

GREEN BAY - Members of the Green Bay and De Pere Antiquarian Society hand delivered a painting to Bellin Health. They were hoping to uncover some answers about its past.

They turned to the hospital's radiology team to try and find any secrets that lie beneath the oil painted surface.

"Imaging art is definitely new for us, it's a first," said Jeff Hoeksema, Imaging Team Leader at Bellin Health.

"The patient is sick but the patient will make a full recovery," said Tony Rajer, an art conservationist.

He restored the painting in question after the antiquarian society purchased it in a lot of items from the Brown County Library several years ago.

"The painting is probably several hundred years old it's one of our great artistic treasures here in the community," said Rajer.

Rajer hopes x-rays might reveal who the artist is. And the artist may have signed the back that was hidden when somewhere along the way the canvass was glued to a masonite board.

The x-rays are also able to show alterations the artist made when it was painted.

"Our whole mission is preservation and conservation of artifacts and to keep them in the community for the community," said Carol Jones, antiquarian society member.

Jones and others embarked on uncovering the origins of the painting eight months ago, soliciting help from museums in the United States and Europe.

"Each member took two to three different museums and wrote to them. And most all responded," said Jones.

"The original large version of it is actually in a palace in Florence Italy," said Rajer.

This smaller artist's version is believed to have come to Green Bay around 1910.

For 90 years the painting was the property of the Brown County Library. It was always on display, but somewhat hidden away. Up until three years ago it could be found in the library stairwell to the basement right there on the wall.

In October the painting will once again make a public appearance, this time proudly on display at the Neville Public Museum. It is then the medical diagnosis of those x-rays will be revealed.

"Of course this is all top secret," said Rajer.

The painting will be unveiled along with what the x-rays found at a special reception on October 8th at the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay.