X-radiograph(s) of "Baptism of Christ" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of Gerard David's "Baptism of Christ," held at the Harvard Art Museums. My first impression is one of ghostly layering. Editor: Indeed. The image reveals the artist's process, the material choices in layering paint and the structure of the panel. It allows insight into the workshop practices that shaped the final artwork. Curator: Structurally, note how the composition is subtly revealed through differing densities. We can trace the figures despite the flattened perspective. It's fascinating to see how the artist builds form. Editor: Exactly, and it reveals the labor involved in creating such a painting in the first place—the preparation of the wood, the grinding of pigments, all material actions with symbolic implications. Curator: It gives a new way to understand the beautiful finished work. Editor: Yes, seeing what's underneath brings another level to my awareness.