X-radiograph(s) of "Male Portrait" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of "Male Portrait," possibly by Dieric Bouts. The image is made up of layered squares. What historical context informs this kind of scientific study of a painting? Curator: X-radiography became essential in art history, revealing underdrawings and changes made by the artist. It’s a gaze behind the surface, if you will. What does it mean to have this kind of access, and what assumptions does it perpetuate about artistic intention and the artist’s hand? Editor: That's interesting. It’s like archaeology meeting art history. Curator: Precisely. It invites us to question the traditional narratives surrounding authorship and artistic creation, revealing the layers of decision-making, or even labor, that construct an image. Editor: I see. So, it's about unearthing the complex, and sometimes hidden, stories embedded within an artwork. Curator: Exactly. And how those stories challenge our understanding of art.