X-radiograph(s) of "Sir Anthony Mildmay" 

Curator: Here we have an X-radiograph of "Sir Anthony Mildmay," after Isaac Oliver I. This image is part of the collection at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's an eerie, ghostlike impression. The stark contrast and skeletal rendering give it a morbid quality. Curator: Indeed. Radiography is an invaluable tool, allowing us to peek beneath the surface of artworks without causing damage and to better understand the artist's technique. Editor: The process, though scientific, creates a fascinating tension between revelation and abstraction, doesn't it? Curator: Precisely. It reminds us that even portraits of nobility are subject to the contingencies of time, and, in a way, mortality. Editor: I find myself strangely moved by the image's starkness, a visceral reminder of the impermanence of form. Curator: A potent reminder that even the most robust portraits cannot evade decay, making this X-radiograph a compelling commentary on posterity. Editor: It leaves a haunting residue, something I won’t soon forget.