1. a visible trace of an earlier painting beneath a layer of paint on a canvas, where an artist changed or painted over part of the original work
Usage: art history term; plural: pentimenti or pentimentos
2. any evidence of a change or revision made by an artist during the creation of a work
Usage: figurative or extended use

Examples

• X-ray analysis revealed a pentimento showing that the artist had originally painted a different pose for the figure.
• The pentimento in the portrait suggests the painter reconsidered the subject's position before completing the work.
• Art conservators discovered a pentimento beneath the surface, indicating the artist's creative process.
• The painting's pentimenti provide insight into how the master revised his composition over time.
• Using infrared imaging, experts identified several pentimenti hidden under centuries of varnish.