X-radiograph(s) of "Gamblers (after Peters, 1881)" 

Editor: Here we have an x-radiograph of "Gamblers (after Peters, 1881)" by Benjamin Franklin Eddy. It's fascinating to see an artwork analyzed through this technology. What does this x-ray reveal to you about the original work, in terms of its historical and cultural context? Curator: This image presents a compelling question: why x-ray a reproduction of an 1881 painting? Radiography is often used to authenticate artworks, to understand the artist's process. Perhaps this reveals anxieties around authenticity and value in the art market at the time this copy was made? Is this about the institutional desire to validate art? Editor: That's a really interesting take. I was so focused on the process itself, I hadn't considered the institutional motivations behind it. Curator: Exactly. Consider the power dynamics at play when institutions use technology to assess art. It reshapes our understanding of artistic creation.