The panel underwent X-ray examination based on the hypothesis that a higher-quality painting existed beneath the visible surface, as artists commonly painted over existing works, whether their own or those by other artists. Conservators removed portions of the upper paint layer hoping to reveal an earlier Portrait of a Woman that exhibited more interesting qualities that were associated with Frans Hals. However, this intervention did not yield the anticipated results, and the remaining sections of the underlying Dutch Tavern Scene were left undisturbed. The tavern composition clearly derives from an engraved reproduction of an Adrian Brouwer painting, as indicated by its reversed orientation and absence of the original's colour palette. Adrian Brouwer represented a crucial connection between Flemish and Dutch genre painting traditions.