X-radiograph(s) of "Portrait of a Lady" 

Editor: This is an x-ray of "Portrait of a Lady," attributed to John Smibert. The film is about 14 by 17 inches. It looks so fragile, like a ghost trying to break free from a dusty mirror. What untold stories do you think are hiding beneath the surface of this portrait? Curator: Well, it's like peeking behind the curtain, isn't it? This X-radiograph reveals the hidden layers, the artist's process, maybe even earlier compositions. It whispers of the past, of secrets preserved beneath the paint. What do you make of the way the artist handled the drapery based on the x-ray? Editor: It's almost dreamlike, seeing the bones of the painting. It makes you wonder about the real person behind the portrait. Curator: Exactly! And how techniques like radiography let us converse with artists across time. It's like whispering back and forth through the ages.