In this enlightened period astonishment and pity wait upon it.
It appears it was misunderstood by early conservators.
Degradation of successive varnish layers over the years made it even less visible.
The area with the fiend was especially difficult.
With the layers added by early restorers it had become a mess of misinterpretation and multiple layers of paints.
The painting remained at Petworth until it was recently conserved by the Trust.
Speculations arose from the internet, trying to comprehend a potential hidden message
