X-radiograph(s) of "Cotton Mather (copy)"

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of a copy of Peter Pelham's "Cotton Mather," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Immediately, the stark contrast and almost ghostly figure evoke a sense of hidden history and vulnerability. Curator: Indeed. The radiographic technique reveals the under layers, literally exposing the support and the pentimenti, the artist's alterations. Notice how the composition is bisected by these strong, diagonal lines. Editor: It feels like a visual metaphor. Mather, a towering figure in his time, is now rendered fragile, his image dissected. The X-ray strips away the imposed power, revealing the human beneath. Curator: Precisely. The materiality becomes the message. Editor: It's a potent reminder that even the most formidable figures are subject to time and scrutiny. There is an almost sacred quality to the revelation of hidden layers.