X-radiograph(s) of "Man with Gold Chain (the Laborer ?)" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of "Man with Gold Chain (the Laborer ?)," by Willem Drost. The film is 14 x 17. Seeing art through this ghostly lens feels like looking at a secret history. What hidden stories do you think this X-ray reveals? Curator: It’s like peering into the soul of the painting, isn’t it? I see layers of intention, pentimenti whispering of Drost's process. Perhaps areas where he reworked the composition, changing his mind. It’s a beautiful reminder that art is rarely born perfect but rather evolves. What do you make of the dark masses? Editor: It's fascinating to think about the artist's process laid bare. Maybe those masses are earlier versions of the figure? It makes me appreciate the final painting even more, knowing the journey it took. Curator: Exactly! It gives us permission to see the beauty in the imperfect, the journey over the destination, doesn't it?