X-radiograph(s) of "Circumcision" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of "Circumcision," by Willem de Poorter. The film is 14 x 17. It's interesting to see the painting like this, almost like an archaeological dig. What does it reveal about the painting and its history? Curator: X-radiographs let us see underlayers, revealing how the artist constructed the image. Does this glimpse behind the curtain change how we perceive the final artwork, and its narrative about ritual and faith? Editor: That's a great point. Does knowing about the underlayers change the meaning of the painting? Curator: It complicates it, I think. It makes us consider the artist's process, decisions, and perhaps even revisions driven by social or artistic pressures of the time. It also prompts us to consider the role of science in our understanding of art. Editor: That's fascinating! It really opens up so many questions about the artist and the context in which the piece was created.