Explore the paintings
It has been suggested that the three main figures in the painting may be portraits of the painter brothers Antoine, Louis and Mathieu Le Nain. Cleaning in 1968 revealed that the picture is unfinished; the head of a boy emerged under the considerable repainting. It was previously called 'A Trio of Geometers' because the overpaint included in the foreground geometrical instruments and a globe.
The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN



