X-radiograph(s) of "Holy Family" 

Curator: Well, hello there. This is an X-radiograph of "Holy Family," after Nicolas Poussin. At first glance, what do you make of this ghostly image? Editor: An x-ray of a painting, what a curious thing! It feels like peering through time, seeing the hidden layers beneath a familiar scene, revealing something almost…anatomical. Curator: Precisely! X-radiography allows us to see the artist's process, the underpainting, the changes they made. Poussin, a master of the classical style, believed in order and reason. Editor: Yet, this image feels far from orderly. The x-ray obscures the clear lines Poussin was known for, and it's like the painting is restless somehow. Does seeing these inner workings diminish or enhance our understanding of the final piece? Curator: Perhaps it does both. It humanizes the artist, showing that even masters revise and rethink. And it demonstrates how deeply ingrained the cultural image of the Holy Family is in our collective consciousness. Editor: True, it's a reminder that art is never just what we see on the surface, but a palimpsest of ideas, intentions, and the occasional mistake. It's fascinating to peel back those layers, even in this spectral way. Curator: Indeed. It's like whispering secrets from the past, reminding us that every artwork has its own hidden story. Editor: It is a ghost of an image, hauntingly beautiful in its own way.