X-radiograph(s) of "Maria Marguerite" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Maria Marguerite," after Juan Bautista Martinez del Mazo. Isn't it fascinating to see this hidden view? Editor: It's eerie, ghostly even. All that texture...the underlying structure of the canvas is so prominent. Curator: Yes, the linen support becomes the subject, almost. We see the weave, the threads themselves, and the preparatory layers. The labor involved in preparing the ground is laid bare. Editor: It speaks to the historical treatment of women, too. "Maria Marguerite" becomes an object of study, her identity obscured, reduced to material components. What's visible is the support structure, both literally and figuratively. Curator: It underscores the choices made by the artist, and the unseen support systems which enable them. Editor: This image really forces us to confront the layers of history and the unseen processes of image-making. Curator: Absolutely, it changes how we view artistic creation.