X-radiograph(s) of "Mrs. James Bowdoin" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of "Mrs. James Bowdoin," an undated painting by Robert Feke. It's eerie, seeing the portrait as an almost skeletal outline. What can we learn from this image? Curator: This image highlights power structures inherent in portraiture of the time. Mrs. Bowdoin’s image, meticulously constructed by Feke, becomes dematerialized, revealing the support and process beneath the surface. Does this X-ray expose or erase her identity? Editor: That's a compelling point. It makes me consider the agency she had, or lacked, in the creation of her own image. Curator: Exactly! And what does it mean to strip away the layers of representation, when those layers were already constructed within a framework of societal expectations? Editor: I see it now – it’s not just about the technique, but the social commentary it unintentionally reveals. Curator: Precisely, and remember that technical analyses can be social analyses too.