A groundbreaking discovery at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., has revealed a hidden male portrait beneath Johannes Vermeer's famous painting 'Girl with a Red Hat' (circa 1664-67). This concealed artwork could potentially represent the Dutch master's earliest known work and his only documented male portrait, fundamentally changing our understanding of Vermeer's artistic development and career.

The remarkable finding emerged during the pandemic when the National Gallery of Art launched an intensive investigation into four paintings attributed to Vermeer. Using advanced imaging techniques combined with microscopic examination of paint surfaces, the museum's conservation studio was able to virtually penetrate multiple layers of paint to analyze Vermeer's artistic process. This sophisticated technology revealed the existence of a complete portrait of a man painted beneath the surface of 'Girl with a Red Hat.'

Initially, researchers believed the underlying male figure was the work of an unidentified artist due to its uncharacteristically loose brushstrokes, which differed significantly from Vermeer's known refined technique. However, further studies have provided new insights into Vermeer's working methods, revealing that his underpaintings were consistently executed with looser, quicker brushwork before the master returned to refine and perfect the final composition. This process of starting with rough underpaintings and gradually refining the work is commonly taught in art schools today and represents a fairly typical approach used by most artists throughout history.

The dating of the hidden portrait has been determined through careful analysis of the man's clothing, specifically his wide-brimmed hat and collar with a tassel tie. These costume elements were fashionable and commonly worn during the period of 1650-55, providing crucial chronological evidence. If confirmed as a genuine Vermeer work, this hidden portrait would predate his currently recognized earliest known work, 'Christ in the House of Mary and Martha' (1654-55), making it the artist's earliest documented creation.

The significance of this discovery extends beyond chronology, as it would also represent Vermeer's only known male portrait. While Vermeer painted other works featuring men, such as 'The Astronomer' (1668) and 'The Geographer' (1668), these are not classified as formal portraits. The existence of a male portrait would provide invaluable context for understanding Vermeer's artistic range, his early career development, and his approach to different subject matters.

Currently, specialists at the National Gallery of Art are making the case that the male portrait should be attributed to Vermeer himself. However, as reported by The Art Newspaper, this theory remains unproven and continues to be subject to scholarly debate and further research. The attribution process requires extensive analysis and peer review before any definitive conclusions can be reached.

The research has also opened intriguing possibilities regarding other potential hidden works and alternative attributions. Historical records indicate that an inventory compiled after Vermeer's death in 1676 listed two male portraits by Carel Fabritius, a fellow artist from Delft. This has led some scholars to suggest that the hidden portrait might actually be the work of Fabritius, with Vermeer later painting over it to create 'Girl with a Red Hat.'

If the hidden portrait were indeed by Fabritius, it would represent an equally significant discovery for art history. Only about a dozen works by Fabritius are currently known to exist, making any new attribution to him extremely valuable for understanding his artistic output and influence. Such a finding would also shed light on the artistic relationships and practices within the Delft artistic community during the 17th century.

This discovery highlights the ongoing potential for uncovering lost or hidden artworks through advancing conservation technology. The sophisticated imaging techniques used in this investigation demonstrate how modern scientific methods can reveal layers of artistic history that have remained invisible for centuries, potentially leading to similar discoveries in other masterworks and fundamentally reshaping our understanding of renowned artists and their creative processes.