X-radiograph(s) of "Portrait of Rembrandt" 

Curator: This is an x-radiograph of "Portrait of Rembrandt" by Gerhard Dou, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. It gives us an unusual look beneath the surface. Editor: It looks like a ghost. You can almost make out a face, but the composition is obscured by these strange grid-like patterns and dark blotches. Curator: Yes, those patterns show the wood grain and the support structure. But the blotches indicate areas of different pigment density, revealing the artist’s process. This kind of forensic view into a painting's creation is fascinating. Editor: Absolutely, there's something almost mystical about seeing the unseen, the hidden layers of intention and execution. It speaks to the enduring power of portraiture and its capacity to transcend time. Curator: Precisely. And it reminds us that even scientific analysis is a form of interpretation, adding another layer to the painting's cultural narrative. Editor: It gives a new sense of the symbol beneath the surface.