We posted this hare yesterday and received a great question about the care of the painting. You can see from the side that the painting is curved, and matsonmaryanne wanted to know "How was the work been stabilized over the years? Has any attempt to flatten it been made?" This is a panel painting, meaning it is painted on wood—three individual planks of lime wood, to be exact. This kind of wood is relatively soft and is responsive to moisture, which causes expansion and contraction. The environmental history of this painting is an important factor. The panel curved in response to changes in relative humidity at some point in the last 430+ years, we don't know when or precisely why. Getty conservators monitor the environmental conditions. This painting is kept in a stable environment of approximately 50% relative humidity to prevent further warping. Any active treatments to reduce the warping can be risky, so our conservators prefer to let this stay in its natural state. . . 🏷: #ar...