X-radiograph(s) of "Portrait of Velazquez (copy)" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of a copy of Diego Velázquez's "Portrait of Velázquez," here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's like looking at the ghost of a painting! All the structure, the canvas, but where's the person? Curator: Precisely. The X-radiograph allows us to see beneath the surface, revealing the hidden layers of creation, and perhaps, the artist's process or even earlier compositions. Editor: I'm captivated by the textures, almost like a woven tapestry. It reminds me that paintings aren’t just images but physical objects with their own histories and vulnerabilities. Curator: Absolutely, and within the context of art history, such analyses provide invaluable insights into authenticity, attribution, and the material culture of art production, which really shapes how we understand the artwork. Editor: It does make you think about what we value. The visible image? Or the story embedded within the structure? It's almost…more honest than the painting itself. Curator: Indeed, it encourages a deeper interrogation of the artistic process and reminds us of the complex layers of meaning inherent in any artwork. Editor: Well, I find myself strangely moved. Like I've seen something intimate. A secret whispered from the past.