X-radiograph(s) of "Self-Portrait" 

Curator: Well, this is peculiar, isn't it? At first glance, it looks like a strange, ghostly grid. Editor: It feels like a deconstruction of portraiture, almost a violent act of unveiling. Curator: Precisely. What we have here is an X-radiograph of Rembrandt's "Self-Portrait," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: So, we're looking at the bones of a painting. Fascinating. It reveals the material layers, the hidden labor of its construction. Curator: Indeed. It makes you consider the physical presence of art, beyond the image itself, doesn't it? It's like archaeology, excavating the artistic process. Editor: Absolutely, and it reminds us that even a "masterpiece" is a product of material choices, of pigments and canvas and skilled labor. Not just divine inspiration. Curator: Yes, a beautiful piece to ponder the layers and material and how that affects what we perceive. Editor: Definitely gives a new perspective on things!