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

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Portrait of a Man," originally by Nicolaes Maes, here at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s quite striking, isn’t it? Editor: Haunting! Like looking at a ghost in a machine. I wonder what it reveals about Maes's process... the layering of paint, perhaps? Curator: Exactly! It allows us to see under the surface, to trace the artist’s hand as he built up the composition. What materials did he favor? How did he rework sections? It opens a whole new world. Editor: It also raises questions about labor. Think of the technicians who create these radiographs. Their work makes possible a deeper appreciation of Maes’s artistry. Curator: A beautiful collision of art and science, wouldn't you say? It's as if we're sharing a secret with the artist, peering beneath the veneer of a finished masterpiece. Editor: Right. It makes you wonder what future technologies will reveal about the art we make today.