X-radiograph(s) of "William Tyler" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "William Tyler," a portrait attributed to Joseph Badger, held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s… surprisingly beautiful. A ghostly grid, like woven moonlight, hinting at a hidden structure. Curator: Indeed. The X-ray reveals the canvas beneath the paint, exposing the raw material and the artist's process. It raises questions about materiality and the hidden lives of objects. Editor: Absolutely. And culturally, think about the historical context. What did it mean to portray someone like William Tyler at that moment in time, and how does this x-ray change our perception of him? Curator: Precisely! It reminds us that portraits are never simply surfaces, but complex constructions of identity and power. Editor: Seeing the underlayers adds another layer of meaning to the image of William Tyler.