Mysterious Demon Revealed in Centuries-Old Painting

A "devil-like figure" hidden beneath layers of paint and varnish has been rediscovered in a 230-year-old painting by artist Joshua Reynolds, following a restoration by the National Trust. The figure, referred to as a "fiend," was controversial at the time and depicted in a Shakespearean death scene titled "The Death of Cardinal Beaufort." The figure, with fangs and a sinister expression, was painted above the dying Beaufort's head. Early conservators misunderstood and painted over the figure, resulting in its disappearance. After careful examination and removal of layers of varnish, the fiend has been revealed and the painting is now on display at Petworth House.