X-radiograph(s) of "Portrait of a Man" 

Curator: What a ghostly image! It's like looking into the soul of a portrait. Editor: Exactly! We’re looking at an X-radiograph of "Portrait of a Man," attributed to Gilbert Stuart, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s a peek behind the canvas. Curator: It really does make you think about layers, both physical and metaphorical. The way the X-ray reveals the underpainting, it's like uncovering hidden intentions. Editor: It’s fascinating how the image of a man becomes an image *about* a man. The cultural weight of portraiture, the desire to capture essence...it all gets transformed. Curator: It's almost like the man is reduced to just bone and material. All the pretense falls away, just the structure remains. Editor: I think that's what I find so compelling—the stark contrast between outward presentation and inner scaffolding. It's a reminder that we're all built on something unseen. Curator: In a way it's like staring into the past, seeing the history baked into the image. Editor: And it all boils down to the essence of it all, doesn’t it?