X-radiograph(s) of "Federico Gonzaga" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of Titian’s “Federico Gonzaga,” offering a glimpse beneath the surface. Editor: It’s like a ghost! All shadows and structure, but what material presence remains? It gives me the shivers. Curator: Think of it as a peek into the artistic process. The X-ray reveals the wooden support and hints at the layers of paint Titian used. Editor: The wood grain becomes the unexpected star. And the cracks! They speak of age, of the physical journey this object has undergone. Curator: Indeed, it underscores the labor involved, reminding us that even masterpieces are, at their core, material objects subject to time. Editor: It’s less about the idealized portrait of a Renaissance figure, and more about the life of the wood, the pigment, the hidden architecture of making. It truly is a peek behind the curtain! Curator: A fascinating lens through which to view a classic. Editor: Precisely. The material is the message.