X-radiograph(s) of "Nature Morte a la Commode" 

Curator: Here we have an X-radiograph of Paul Cézanne's "Nature Morte a la Commode," currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The X-ray reveals what lies beneath the visible surface of the painting. Editor: It's ghostly, almost unsettling. Seeing the composition stripped down like this makes the familiar still life seem almost… spectral. Curator: Indeed. It shows us the artist's process, the layers and adjustments he made, almost like an archaeological dig into the painting's history. We see not just the final image, but its evolution. Editor: And the underlying canvas texture becomes so prominent! It's a reminder of the physical labor, the sheer materiality often obscured by the finished product. Do you think this could change how we consider the artist's intent? Curator: Absolutely. Understanding the pentimenti, the changes beneath the surface, provides invaluable insight into Cézanne's artistic decision-making. It humanizes him, showing the struggle and revisions inherent in creation. Editor: It also makes me consider the hidden stories behind every artwork, the unseen labor, the constant revisions. Perhaps every painting has its own "X-ray" of social, political, and emotional labor waiting to be revealed.