Throughout the 20th century and to the present day, the Philadelphia Museum of Arts Lady With a Guitar has been the subject of deep fascination and many questions. Long catalogued as a Copy after Vermeer in the John G. Johnson collection at the museum, the work is a replica or close duplicate of Johannes Vermeers The Guitar Player (ca. 1672) today in the collection of the Kenwood House, London. The hairstyles of the sitter are different, the PMAs musician does not have corkscrew ringlets, but otherwise the images are nearly identical. Since the 1920s, scholars have puzzled over the relationship between the two pictures. Complicating the comparison is the fact that the London painting is one of Vermeers best-preserved works, while the PMA version is in a compromised condition. Most scholars have felt that Lady is a copy by another artist. In March 2023, however, against the backdrop of the definitive Vermeer show at Amsterdams Rijksmuseum, researcher Arie Wallert claimed that the PMA painting could be by Vermeer himself, altered at some time in its past by aggressive cleaning attempts that removed much of the artists uppermost, finishing layers of paint. In light of the new findings, Philadelphia Museum of Art scientists, conservators, and curators are pursuing further study of the painting in collaboration with colleagues at other institutions, experts on Vermeer, led by the PMA and using the most advanced analytical tools available. The aim is to add to knowledge of the works construction and materials and, it is hoped, shed more light on who made it. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is grateful for the past and continuing contributions of scholarship to the mysterious discourse of our Lady With a Guitar, commented Sasha Suda, George D. Widener director and CEO. Our conversation at the museum now is focused on the future of the painting, embracing collaborative research, seeking more knowledge, and inviting the public to be part of the process. The possibility of working even more closely with Vermeer scholars in 2024 to shed further light on PMAs Lady with a Guitar across centuries is incredibly stimulating, added Carlos Basualdo, Marion Boulton Kippy Stroud deputy director and chief curator. We look very much forward to a process that is collegial and open, while we continue to care for this extraordinary painting in our collection. Lady With a Guitar recently went on view in Gallery 364 and will be up through late 2023. This is a unique public opportunity to see the painting in unrestored condition prior to the previousily mentioned continued research. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is located at 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. To learn more, visit www.philamuseum.org.