Beneath the present composition of Alonso Cano's S. Benedict (Prado, Madrid), there is another very different composition revealed by x-rays: an image of the Virgin on an altar with a choir of children below. The quality of some of the heads appears to be excellent, and the style conforms to the known style of Alonso Cano. The earlier painting, probably unfinished, was covered entirely by the new composition in the artist's late Madrid period, 1657-1660. The earlier composition is related to others by the master, particularly the Virgin of Montserrat (Academia de S. Fernando, Madrid), the attribution of which to Cano thus receives confirmation. -- AATA