X-radiograph(s) of "Luis Gongora" 

Curator: Here we have an X-radiograph of Diego Velázquez's portrait of Luis de Góngora, residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The ghostly image is striking! I see the remnants of brushstrokes and the underpainting. It gives the impression of layers being peeled back. Curator: The X-radiograph allows us to analyze Velázquez’s working process, revealing earlier compositional choices and the materials he used. The portrait, commissioned around 1622, cemented Góngora’s status as a literary figure through visual representation. Editor: Exactly! Consider the materiality. The lead white in the paint renders certain areas opaque, showing how Velázquez built up the form. We are seeing the labor and craft in a new light. Curator: The portrait served as a crucial visual document for Góngora's contemporaries, reinforcing his public image in a period where art and literature were vital political tools. Editor: So true, this isn’t just about aesthetics. It connects to Velázquez's material choices and Góngora's aspirations. Curator: It’s a fascinating glimpse into art's role in solidifying cultural influence. Editor: This x-ray reframes that role, by exposing not just the image, but the means of its making.