{
  "id": 262298,
  "title": "Raise a glass: long-hidden image of soldier returns to Pieter de Hooch painting",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/raise-a-glass-long-hidden-image-of-soldier-returns-to-pieter-de-hooch",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-07T11:40:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Art Newspaper",
    "slug": "the-art-newspaper",
    "url": "https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/08/07/raise-a-glass-long-hidden-image-of-soldier-returns-to-pieter-de-hooch-painting"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The return of a painted-out soldier to Pieter de Hooch's 17th-century masterpiece, now displayed at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, has given a new interpretation to the classic work. The painting, A Man Smoking and a Woman Drinking in a Courtyard (circa 1658-60), once featured a red-faced soldier in the middle of the scene, but restorers Sabrina Meloni and Abbie Vandivere decided to repaint the soldier back onto the canvas, using a reversible technique. Initially, the men were thought to be enjoying a quiet moment in their courtyard, but this discovery reveals they were likely playing a drinking game, with the woman drinking from a pass-glass, and the two men not. Restorers noted that the painting's discolouration over the past 360 years influenced their approach, opting for a more understated depiction of the soldier to blend in seamlessly. The addition of the soldier brings back the painting's physical balance and moral undertones, shifting its interpretation from a seemingly innocent scene to a more explicit depiction of a drinking game and the underlying societal norms of the time.",
  "summary": "The figure has been painted back onto the work at the Maurithuis after being removed at some stage in its history",
  "key_points": [
    "Soldier painted out of Pieter de Hooch's 17th-century painting",
    "Restorers repaint soldier using reversible technique",
    "Depiction shifts from innocent scene to drinking game"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}