X-radiograph(s) of "Double Portrait (see file TL31018.4)" c. 9 - 87

Curator: This is an x-radiograph of James Abbott McNeill Whistler's "Double Portrait," currently held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Eerily beautiful. The ghostly figures almost seem to float within the image. It's fascinating to see the painting’s materiality revealed in this way. Curator: Absolutely. It allows us to consider Whistler's process, how he layered and reworked the figures. What stories do these unseen layers whisper about identity and representation? Editor: The image reveals the labor and the material choices behind the visible surface. It's no longer just about the finished piece; it's about the making. Curator: It is as if the artist’s hand is still present, guiding our gaze beyond the surface. This work asks us to consider not just what we see, but what histories lie beneath. Editor: It really changes how one appreciates the final, visible artwork, doesn’t it? I'm intrigued by the way it blends art and science, process and intention.