Under the layers of Miro
By Charlotte Stace
Fundació Joan Miró’s latest exhibition Under the Layers of Miró: A Scientific Investigation unveils an exciting discovery beneath Miró's painting, Pintura (c. 1925).
Advanced non-invasive techniques, such as x-ray and infrared, have revealed a hidden portrait of Miró's mother, likely painted by Cristòfol Montserrat Jorba in 1907. The existence of this underlying image was first toyed with in a 1978 restoration report, but remained unidentified until recent technological advancements.
The findings now suggest that Miró intentionally painted over the portrait, possibly as a critique of academic art. However, he left certain elements like a brooch and earrings from the original image visible. This aligns with Miró's practice of reusing canvases and his desire to "assassinate painting". To share this finding, the foundation presents the exhibition alongside the documentary El secret de Miró, produced with the La Caixa Foundation.