X-radiograph(s) of "Portrait of a Girl" 

Curator: This is an x-radiograph of "Portrait of a Girl," attributed to Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes, from the Harvard Art Museums. It’s a rather ghostly image, isn’t it? Editor: Yes, it's like looking at a soul. You see the raw texture of the canvas and the hidden layers of paint. It emphasizes the materiality of art, almost like an artifact. Curator: Absolutely, and the X-ray reveals so much. It's more than just paint; we are seeing the building blocks of an image, its hidden structure. It gives new meaning to the idea of layers of meaning, and how images carry the past within them. Editor: What I find particularly interesting is how this process highlights the labor. You're forced to confront the act of creation, not just the final product. Curator: I agree. The X-ray process is a symbol itself, stripping away the surface to get to the core of the portrait. It makes you think about who this girl was and what Goya intended to convey. Editor: Looking at the exposed fabric, it also makes me question the traditional hierarchy of fine art. It blurs the line between the artistic and the practical. Curator: An interesting insight. This peek behind the surface reminds us that images hold more than meets the eye, both literally and figuratively. Editor: It certainly does. A powerful reminder of how art reveals itself, layer by layer.