But finding something valuable within a work of art you thought you knew well is even more of a thrill. If You Go Henry Vianden's painting of an ancient oak tree provided a surprise at the West Bend Art Museum. A young visitor noticed a shadowy profile, apparently of the artist, lurking behind the oak.
Admission is free.
An X-ray was taken of the hidden face under the painting. At least that was the experience of Thomas D. Lidtke, director of the West Bend Art Museum. The museum, which reopened to the public in mid-April after an extensive interior remodeling, houses one of the Midwest's more complete and impressive collections of regional art. The painting shows an ancient oak tree, battered and twisted but still clinging to life. In a way, it's an allegory of Vianden's own life.