X-radiograph(s) of "Thomas Vawdrey" 

Curator: This haunting image is an X-radiograph of "Thomas Vawdrey," originally painted by John Singleton Copley. It's a peek beneath the surface, quite literally. Editor: My first impression is of a ghost, a fading echo. The sharp lines of the X-ray create this eerie, almost unsettling atmosphere. Curator: Indeed. An X-ray strips away the color and texture, revealing the underpainting and structural elements. Look at the density around the face—it's like seeing the artist's process laid bare. Editor: It reminds me of the memento mori tradition, a visual reminder of mortality, but in a strangely modern, technological way. The symbols of life are gone, yet his essence remains. Curator: Perhaps that's the power of portraiture, isn't it? This glimpse behind the curtain allows us to contemplate not just the subject, but also the artist's hand and the passage of time. Editor: It is a potent reminder that even art, meant to immortalize, is subject to decay and reinterpretation.