X-radiograph(s) of "Lieven van Coppenol" 

Editor: Here we have an X-radiograph of "Lieven van Coppenol", by Rembrandt, from the Harvard Art Museums. It's fascinating to see a familiar image revealed in such an alien way. What secrets do you think this X-ray unveils about Rembrandt's process, or perhaps about the painting's hidden story? Curator: It’s like peering into the soul of the painting, isn’t it? The X-ray reveals the underpainting, the artist's initial thoughts, pentimenti. The starkness makes me consider the hidden layers of existence, the invisible structure beneath appearances. What do you make of the composition now? Editor: It’s interesting how the X-ray flattens the image, almost abstracting it. I suppose it makes me think about how much we rely on surface appearances. Curator: Exactly! It reminds us that art, like life, is about what we don't immediately see. Editor: I love that, what is unseen. Curator: Indeed.