The museum says in a release that the “Penitent Magdalene” by Spanish painter El Greco was last restored in 1949. The current conservation work began last Spring by Scott Heffley, a senior conservator at the Nelson-Atkins.

Heffley says the painting had damage from hundreds of years ago that had been painted over. The full process is expected to take months.

The restoration project is one of 25 worldwide selected for funding in 2013 through Bank of America’s Art Conservation Project. The grant for the Nelson-Atkins also allows the museum to send the artwork to Spain this year for the 400th anniversary of El Greco’s death.