"It's this grotesque scene, this butchered animal hanging in a barn. And quite likely this patron hired another artist to paint it over."

Zwart said the restored work "looks a lot different than before, and it looks better.

The restoration work also revealed information about the painting's history. It turns out that the work is a "pendant," one of a pair of paintings on a shared theme. Barn Interior's companion painting hangs in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

Art history professor Henry Luttikhuizen said he is pleased the discoveries about the painting are drawing attention to Van Nuis, who died last year.

"Kees would have really enjoyed seeing the painting restored. I can readily imagine him chuckling with delight at the conservator's findings," Luttikhuizen said.

I like it better, without the pig.