X-radiograph(s) of "Aristotle with Bust of Homer" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Aristotle with Bust of Homer," an artwork originally by Rembrandt van Rijn. It's held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It looks like a ghostly map, or maybe a hidden world beneath the surface. What does the X-ray reveal? Curator: Well, X-radiography allows us to see beneath the paint layers, potentially exposing the artist's process, revisions, and materials. The act of peering beneath is almost like a symbolic journey into the artist's mind, isn't it? Editor: Yes, and perhaps also speaks to the cultural narratives—or lack thereof—embedded in art historical practices that often overlook the complexities of artistic labor and the treatment of artworks over time. Curator: Indeed. It makes me consider how an image's symbolic power can shift depending on the context through which it's viewed. Editor: It's a reminder that looking closely always reveals more than we initially expect.