X-radiograph(s) of "St. Jerome in His Study" 25-Aug-04

Curator: This is an X-radiograph related to Joos van Cleve's "St. Jerome in His Study," housed right here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought: a ghostly grid laid over a hidden world. It feels like peering behind the curtain of reality, doesn't it? Curator: Precisely. X-radiography allows us to penetrate the surface, revealing the wooden support and underlayers of paint. Editor: And within that latticework, I detect the faint presence of figures and objects. Even in this ethereal state, the cultural weight of St. Jerome, the scholar, is palpable. Curator: The radiographic image invites us to consider the evolution of the artwork, understanding how it was constructed layer by layer. Editor: It's almost like an archaeological dig within a single painting. To see the bones of a masterwork, the very structure… it alters my perception. Curator: It does shift the perspective, stripping away the surface beauty to reveal the underlying structure. A fascinating glimpse into the artistic process. Editor: I agree, a reminder that even the most refined image is built upon a framework, both physical and symbolic. It all becomes so much more profound.