OIL PAINTING: Crystal Ball, 1902
The Crystal Ball ' by English Pre-Raphaelite artist John William Waterhouse, is of a young female figure staring into a crystal ball, she is thought to be weaving a spell with the aid of a book and skull; when Glenborrodale Castle, Scotland was sold the new owner requested that the painting be modified, so the skull was covered by curtains. A recent x-ray shows the skull, and because the varnish on the original painting is still intact, it can be transformed to its original glory.