X-radiograph(s) of "Self-Portrait in Plumed Hat" 

Curator: This is an x-radiograph of Rembrandt's "Self-Portrait in Plumed Hat," offering an unusual glimpse beneath the surface of the painting. Editor: Eerily beautiful! It feels ghostly, a shadowed presence almost defiant in its refusal to disappear. Curator: Right, but the x-ray reveals the material history. We see how Rembrandt layered the paint, the underlying structure supporting his artistic decisions. Editor: It also hints at a dialogue with societal pressures. Rembrandt's self-fashioning, the plumed hat itself, speaks to identity construction within a specific cultural context. Curator: Precisely. Examining the pigment composition informs us about trade routes, material availability, and Rembrandt's workshop practices. Editor: Seeing through the layers reveals not just the artist's hand, but also the social and economic forces that shaped his self-representation. Curator: Absolutely. It's a potent reminder that even a "self-portrait" is a product of both individual skill and wider material conditions. Editor: This x-radiograph challenges notions of authenticity. We're left to consider what truly constitutes a portrait, and whose story it really tells.