X-radiograph(s) of "St. John the Baptist" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of "St. John the Baptist" by Adriaen Isenbrant, located at the Harvard Art Museums. It's strange to see a painting through this lens. What symbols are revealed to you in this unusual presentation? Curator: An x-ray unveils the artist's process, stripping away the surface to reveal hidden layers. Notice how the skeletal structure echoes the saint's own asceticism, the layers of paint like layers of meaning built over time. Does this altered view change your perception of the subject? Editor: It does. It feels less like a portrait and more like an exploration of mortality and faith itself, a layering of intent and technique. Curator: Precisely. It’s a reminder that images are not just what we see, but what we remember and what we choose to build upon. Editor: I never thought about it that way before. Thanks for helping me see beneath the surface!