X-radiograph(s) of "Man in a Funny Hat" 

Curator: We’re looking at an X-radiograph of “Man in a Funny Hat” after Corneille de Lyon, part of the Harvard Art Museums collection. The film itself is 7x8. It looks… unusual. Editor: It's ghostly! The subject, though faint, is clearly present beneath the surface, almost like an apparition caught in a grid. Curator: Exactly. X-radiography allows us to see beneath the surface of a painting, revealing hidden layers, pentimenti, or even earlier compositions. It’s art history meeting science. Editor: It makes me think about the hidden lives of portraits – the power dynamics inherent in who gets depicted, and what gets concealed. This technique exposes those secrets, quite literally. Curator: And reveals the artist's process. Art institutions use techniques like this to authenticate and preserve works for future generations. Editor: To uncover not just the physical history, but also the social history embedded within these materials. It's a powerful tool for interrogating the stories we tell about art. Curator: Indeed. It offers a fresh perspective on the artwork. Editor: It’s more than just appreciating the surface, it’s confronting the deeper truths hidden beneath it.