X-radiograph(s) of "Scene from Life of a Hermit (part of a triptych)" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Scene from Life of a Hermit," a panel from a triptych attributed to Domenico Veneziano, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s fascinating to see beneath the surface. Editor: It looks like a ghost of the original painting. All the structure, yet none of the vibrant life. Almost like an autopsy, isn’t it? Curator: Indeed, it offers an unprecedented view of the artist's process. Consider the layers of paint, the underdrawing, the very material support revealing the choices the artist made. Editor: But doesn't it also reveal our own historical moment? The desire to dissect and understand, to expose the hidden truths of the past? The act of X-raying is itself an act of power. Curator: It's true. It makes you consider the historical context that shaped its creation, and how we interact with it in our contemporary moment. Editor: Well, I can't help but wonder what the hermit himself would think of this invasive gaze into his world. Curator: Precisely. This image invites reflection on both artistic creation and our own relationship to the past. Editor: A spectral reminder that even in analysis, the aura of the original persists.