X-radiograph(s) of "Old Stone Mill" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of "Old Stone Mill," originally by Gilbert Stuart, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like a ghostly, almost abstract landscape. What secrets does this hidden view reveal to you? Curator: Well, it’s a bit like peeking behind the curtain, isn't it? X-rays strip away the visible layers, and we glimpse the underpainting, the artist's process, the very bones of the creation. It tells us so much about Stuart's working method. Editor: So, it's not just about seeing *what* he painted, but *how* he painted it? Curator: Precisely! This radiograph allows us to travel back in time and stand beside Stuart in his studio, almost like a time machine for art lovers. It shows us that even masterpieces have hidden stories. Editor: That's fascinating. I never thought about art history having its own version of an X-ray machine. Curator: It is a little like magic!