X-radiograph(s) of "Banquet of Herod" 

Curator: Here we have an X-radiograph of the "Banquet of Herod," after Lucas Cranach the Elder. It's currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Stark. The black and white gives it an almost brutal honesty. It’s a glimpse beneath the surface, quite literally. Curator: Indeed. X-rays reveal the underdrawings and the construction of the panel. Notice the vertical wood planks joined together—each with its own grain and history. Editor: The raw material speaks volumes. This isn't just pigment on wood; it's a complex interplay of labor, material choices, and the artist's intention, now filtered through technology. I’m curious about the process of creating such an image. Curator: It reveals the story hidden beneath layers of paint. You almost see the artist's hand moving through the process of creation, of refining symbols of power and morality. Editor: It makes one consider the layers of history inherent in an object like this. Not just artistic choices, but the very wood itself contributing to the narrative. Curator: Absolutely, and the ways in which such imagery, such stories, continue to resonate, even in this modern view. Editor: So, this image gives a new meaning to the term “art history.”