X-radiograph(s) of "Mrs. Thomas Cranston" 

Curator: Here we see an X-radiograph of "Mrs. Thomas Cranston," originally by John Singleton Copley, held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The starkness is incredible! It's like looking at a ghost, a shadow of the original. You can clearly see the underpainting and the materials Copley used. Curator: Absolutely. This image reveals so much about artistic process. The radiography illuminates how Copley constructed the portrait, the layering of paint, the density of the pigments. Editor: And it gives us access to something usually hidden. It's a form of material analysis, but also an institutional one. It makes you wonder about conservation efforts and our impulse to study these works scientifically. Curator: Indeed, it prompts us to consider the intersection of art, science, and history, and how our understanding of art is constantly being shaped by new technologies and approaches. Editor: Seeing it this way really challenges how we think about portraiture. It isn't just about representation, it's about the very act of making and preserving, isn't it?