X-radiograph(s) of "Peasants Dancing" 

Editor: So, this is an X-radiograph of "Peasants Dancing," by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It's fascinating to see the painting deconstructed like this, almost like a ghost image. What layers of meaning do you think this radiographic perspective reveals? Curator: Seeing it this way, we’re not just looking at the surface representation of peasants in revelry. The X-ray unveils the material history, the wood panel itself. It reminds us of the socio-economic realities of art production; the resources, labor, and even the political power dynamics involved in creating and preserving art. How does it change your understanding of Brueghel's depiction of peasants, knowing that it's mediated by such material concerns? Editor: That makes me think about who had access to art and materials and what stories get told and preserved. It adds a whole new dimension to the dancing peasants. Curator: Exactly. It encourages us to question whose stories are valued and how those values are embedded within the artwork itself. It invites us to consider the intersection of art, class, and cultural preservation.