X-radiograph(s) of "Stream and Waterfall" Possibly 30 - 67

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of Gustave Courbet’s "Stream and Waterfall" from the Harvard Art Museums. My initial thought is how raw and textured it looks, the canvas laid bare. Editor: Yes, the image evokes the history and power dynamics embedded in the artwork. One sees the canvas, the literal foundation beneath the picturesque waterfall. Curator: Exactly, the means of production are on full display. You can see the weave of the canvas, the preparation layers... It’s about the labor and materiality. Editor: And the social context. Courbet, a Realist painter, aimed to depict the world as it was, challenging the elite’s romanticized views. We see the structural support for his rebellion. Curator: It's a fascinating insight into the creation of the painting. Editor: Indeed. It prompts us to question the layers of representation. Curator: Certainly. It helps us consider the social and material reality of art making. Editor: Precisely. This X-radiograph challenges us to examine art's broader context.