X-radiograph(s) of "Portrait of a Man" 

Curator: Here we have an X-radiograph of "Portrait of a Man," possibly by Samuel King, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. It's essentially an X-ray of a painting. Editor: My first impression is one of ghostliness; this hidden view reveals unseen layers and lost narratives. Curator: Precisely, the X-ray unveils how artists revise compositions. These changes, once invisible, become symbols of a complex creative process. It raises interesting questions about the artist’s intentions and the evolving image of masculinity across time. Editor: I see that too, and I wonder about the relationship between visibility and power. Who gets seen, who remains hidden, and what does it mean to reveal these secrets now, after so long? Curator: Well, for me, it’s a potent reminder that images are never fixed; they're constantly being re-imagined, both by the artist and by history itself. Editor: Indeed, and it's up to us to keep excavating those layers, revealing the complexities beneath the surface.