X-radiograph(s) of "St. Francis" 

Curator: Here we have an X-radiograph of “St. Francis,” originally by Adriaen van Utrecht, from the collection of the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's ghostly! Like peering into the soul, or at least the skeleton, of a painting. There’s this oval shape, almost like an aura… Curator: Yes, this reveals the underpainting, the artist's initial design hidden beneath the visible layers. It gives us a glimpse into the creative process, almost like witnessing the artist's thought process. Editor: It's like a painting having a secret. It makes you wonder what other masterpieces conceal beneath their surfaces... maybe a little bit of the artist's soul? Curator: Indeed. This technique of radiography provides invaluable insight into artistic techniques and the evolution of a work, and ultimately it helps us understand the conditions of its existence as an art object. Editor: It’s humbling, isn't it? To see that even masterpieces are built on something less… perfect. It reminds me of that saying: show me a hero, and I’ll write you a tragedy.