Advent unveiling for intriguing Madonna and Child

Madonna and Child with the Infant Saint John the Baptist - An Italian Renaissance painting of the Madonna and Child that has long been shrouded in mystery has gone on display following extensive restoration. The captivating image - painted in Florence in the 1520s - has been unveiled at Kirkcaldy Galleries, where it is being exhibited for the first time. Conservation work has shed new light on who painted the picture and given curators fresh insights into the artist's creative process and technique. Leading edge technology has also revealed for the first time a shadowy image, believed to be Joseph, beneath layers of paint. The restoration, which involved the Universities of Glasgow and Aberdeen, has inspired gallery staff to uncover another mystery - how the picture made its way from Florence to Fife. Until now, little was known about the history of the painting, which depicts Mary holding the baby Jesus on her knee with the young Saint John the Baptist standing by their side. A strip of paper on the back of the frame credits Andrea del Sarto (1486-1530) - a High Renaissance master from Florence - but experts who have studied the painting in recent years suggest otherwise.