X-radiograph(s) of "Adoration" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of "Adoration" by Jacopo Palma Giovane, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The image is ghostly, almost skeletal. What can we glean from seeing this painting stripped bare? Curator: It reveals the artist's process, the layers of intention and revision. Consider how this act of revealing resonates with contemporary discussions about transparency and the deconstruction of power structures, even within art historical narratives. Where does the true meaning of the work lie? Editor: So, the X-ray challenges traditional interpretations? Curator: Precisely. It invites us to question the authority of the finished image and consider the unseen labor, the choices made, and perhaps even the societal influences that shaped the artwork's creation. It’s about interrogating the canon. Editor: I never thought about it that way. Seeing this radiography definitely gives a new appreciation for what goes into making an artwork. Curator: Indeed. And how revealing the layers can change our reading.