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

Curator: The Harvard Art Museums hold this fascinating X-radiograph of "Portrait of a Man," originally by Jan Mostaert. The film itself measures 14 x 17 inches. Editor: It's ghostly! Like looking at a hidden soul, all greys and hints. You can sense the figure but its also an abstract pattern. Curator: Indeed. Radiography allows us to peer beneath the surface, revealing the artist’s process, the underdrawing, the layering of paint and the evolution of the composition. Editor: It makes me think about the unseen power structures embedded within artistic creation, and how the narrative of the artist is so often prioritized over the materials or labor involved. This radiographic process reveals those hidden aspects. Curator: Absolutely, it's about the relationship between the art object, the artist, and the larger structures that give it value. Editor: It's incredible what looking past the surface can reveal. Curator: It truly is, offering a deeper view into the history of this piece.