X-radiograph(s) of "Self-Portrait (copy)" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of a copy of Peter Paul Rubens' "Self-Portrait." It's fascinating to see the underlying structure of a painting revealed in this way. What does this kind of image tell you about the original artwork? Curator: It's like seeing the ghost of the artistic process. The X-ray exposes the artist's initial marks, the build-up of layers. Consider what "seeing through" the surface reveals. Does the copy attempt to capture more than just the likeness? Editor: Perhaps the copyist tried to understand Rubens's technique? Curator: Precisely! They're engaging with Rubens across time, creating a new layer of meaning. The X-ray lets us see that conversation. Editor: I never thought about it that way. It's like the painting has its own memory. Curator: Indeed. And we're accessing a fragment of that memory, filtered through the copyist's interpretation and modern technology.