On Thursday afternoon, the painting was removed from the gallery for a second application of varnish.
With varnishing, nearly six weeks of inpainting will be fully saturated. The second layer of varnish will enable the conservators to accomplish a final 'sweep' of inpainting, adjusting and refining the work so, at viewing distance, the losses and abrasion in the original paint layer will be nearly invisible.
The painting will be returned to the gallery early Friday morning, October 1.
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