X-radiograph(s) of "St. Jerome" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of “St. Jerome,” attributed to the School of Quentin Metsys, at the Harvard Art Museums. It's fascinating to see the layers beneath the surface. What symbols do you find emerging through this unique lens? Curator: The very act of using radiography transforms the image into a symbol of hidden knowledge. St. Jerome himself, traditionally depicted with a lion and skull, becomes an icon of scholarly pursuit and inner reflection, yet here we see an archaeological unveiling. What does it mean to strip away the surface and look beneath? Editor: It's like an artistic autopsy, revealing the painting’s history and construction. Curator: Precisely. The X-ray reveals not just the physical layers of paint and canvas, but also the conceptual layers of meaning and interpretation embedded within the image. We're invited to contemplate the cultural memory preserved – or perhaps altered – by this process. Editor: That's a powerful thought, how the act of seeing changes what we see. Curator: Indeed. It underscores how images shape our understanding of history.