X-radiograph(s) of "Thomas Aston Smith" 

Curator: Here we have an X-radiograph of "Thomas Aston Smith," painted originally by John Singleton Copley. The film itself measures 14 by 17 inches. Editor: It's strangely haunting. That skeletal impression provides a whole new layer of understanding, doesn’t it? Curator: Precisely. The use of X-ray technology allows us to analyze the artist's process, the layers of paint application, and even the canvas structure itself. Editor: The canvas becomes almost like a social artifact, a repository not just of artistic intention but of the very materiality of its creation, its support system laid bare. Curator: It moves us beyond the surface representation, revealing the physical history and construction underpinning the portrait. Editor: Yes, and reminds us that art objects, like people, are built up of hidden layers. Fascinating. Curator: Indeed, a rather revealing perspective, quite literally, on Copley's practice. Editor: An insightful peek beneath the surface—or, in this case, into it.