X-radiograph(s) of "Landscape" 

Editor: We’re looking at an X-radiograph of "Landscape" by Claude Lorrain. It's fascinating to see the materiality of the canvas so starkly. What can you tell me about the work from a formal perspective? Curator: The X-radiograph allows us to examine the underlying structure. Observe the texture, the weave of the canvas. Notice the variations in density, suggesting different layers or applications of material. What does this textural information convey to you? Editor: It shows the raw support beneath the visible image, the very foundation of the artwork itself. I guess I had never really considered that. Curator: Precisely. It directs our attention to the physical components and construction, independent of the representational content. We move away from the illusion and toward an understanding of its construction. Editor: That’s a really interesting way to view art. Thanks for sharing. Curator: My pleasure. It is in looking beneath the surface, literally, that we reveal a deeper understanding of artistic intention.