X-radiograph(s) of "Portrait of a Man" 

Curator: We're looking at an X-radiograph of “Portrait of a Man” by Girolamo da Santacroce. Editor: It's eerie! A ghostly grid with the faintest suggestion of a face. It feels archaeological, like unearthing something hidden. Curator: Exactly! The X-ray reveals the artist's process, the material layering, the build-up of paint—the labor beneath the surface. Editor: And consider the power dynamics inherent in portraiture, especially when the subject is unknown to us. Who was this man? What was his relationship to Santacroce? Curator: It challenges notions of authorship and originality, doesn't it? The X-ray as a tool, a lens into artistic creation and material composition. Editor: Absolutely. It's a reminder that every image carries a history, visible and invisible, shaped by social forces. It opens up a critical space. Curator: It leaves me contemplating the role of technology in revealing the hidden labor and material realities of art. Editor: And for me, it underscores the enduring power of portraits to evoke questions of identity, representation, and the gaze across time.