X-radiograph(s) of "Mariana of Austria" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of "Mariana of Austria," after Velázquez. It's fascinating to see art reduced to its material components. What does this view reveal that we might miss in the finished painting? Curator: This radiographic view unveils the artist's process, stripping away the illusion. We see the labor, the layering of paint – lead white, especially – that created the image. It challenges our ideas of artistic genius and reveals the material construction of power. Editor: So, by analyzing the materials, we gain insight into the societal and economic factors at play in its creation? Curator: Precisely. Consider the pigment sourcing, the canvas preparation. Every element involved in this painting’s production reflects the complex social fabric of its time. Editor: That gives me a totally different perspective. Thanks for pointing that out! Curator: Indeed. This method reveals the unseen structures that uphold both the artwork and the social order it represents.