X-radiograph(s) of "Boy with Pancake" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of the "Boy with Pancake," originally by Godfried Schalcken. It resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought? It looks like a storm brewing on a wooden sea. Dark patches scattered across the grainy surface... ominous! Curator: Precisely! The radiography reveals the wood panel's construction and past treatments. The dark spots are likely areas of paint loss or repair, material interventions over time. Editor: It’s like seeing the skeleton of the artwork, the history etched into its very bones. Does revealing the literal foundations change how we perceive the boy and his pancake? Curator: It allows a peek into the workshop, the labor involved. We see the material supports, the artist's choices, and the conservation efforts. Editor: A fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at art's enduring journey, moving beyond the pretty picture. It asks us to think about more than just the surface. Curator: Exactly. The materiality reminds us of the art market's structure. Editor: Indeed. Now, I can't help but wonder what secrets other masterpieces are hiding beneath their surfaces!