X-radiograph(s) of "Mercury and Bacchus" 

Editor: Here we have an X-radiograph of "Mercury and Bacchus" by François Boucher. Seeing it this way, stripped of color, makes me think about what it means to see a painting as a physical object. What do you make of experiencing a painting in this non-traditional way? Curator: It highlights the material history, doesn't it? X-rays like this one expose the painting's construction, the canvas weave, the layering of paint. We see the artist's process, but also the history of conservation, of interventions, revealing the institutional narratives around art preservation. Editor: So, it's not just about the artist, but about all the hands that have touched it since? Curator: Precisely. It prompts us to consider who gets to decide what's worth preserving, and how their choices shape our understanding of art history. What layers will future technologies reveal, I wonder? Editor: That's a great question; it’s like archaeology of art.