X-radiograph(s) of "Lady Wharton" 

Curator: Brimming with ghostly secrets, this is an X-radiograph of "Lady Wharton," originally painted by Anthony van Dyck. Editor: It looks like a figure emerging from a fog, a face barely there, fading, a whisper from the past. Curator: Yes, the X-ray reveals the underpainting, a glimpse beneath the surface—of the painting itself, and metaphorically, of the sitter. Van Dyck was a master of portraying the English aristocracy, but here, we see only traces. Editor: There's something haunting about the veil of time and technology drawn across her. The necklace is eerily present. It is like seeing a soul. Curator: Indeed, those material details persist, echoing across the years. It prompts questions about the layered nature of identity and representation. Editor: Looking at it now, I wonder, what does it mean to truly see someone, either in paint or life, and what parts always remain hidden?