X-radiograph(s) of "Man in Gold Helmet" 

Curator: Here, we see an X-radiograph of "Man in a Golden Helmet", attributed to Rembrandt, a work held within the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The starkness is immediate, like an archeological dig. It's the under-image, the bones of the composition, laid bare. Curator: Precisely. The X-ray reveals pentimenti—the ghost of the artist's hand shifting forms, the canvas’s preparation, the materiality beneath the visible image. Editor: We're seeing the process, the labor of creation. The hand that applied the paint, the canvas prepared, the raw existence of the art object! Curator: Indeed. It allows us to analyze the deliberate choices in composition, the weighting of forms. Editor: The X-ray serves as a testament to the labor, revealing the hidden process. I find that incredibly powerful. Curator: Yes, it offers a unique perspective, unveiling decisions often obscured by the finished work. Editor: An unexpectedly intimate glimpse into the making, the physical reality of art.