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

Curator: Immediately striking. The density of layered forms creates a strangely ethereal surface. Editor: Indeed. We're looking at an X-radiograph of "Portrait of a Man," attributed to Joseph Badger, located here at the Harvard Art Museums. The film measures 14 x 17 inches. Curator: The composition, viewed in this way, reveals hidden structures. Note the play of light and shadow—or, rather, density and transparency—across the canvas. The radiographic texture almost abstracts the portrait. Editor: It's fascinating to consider how this imaging technique allows us to see beneath the visible surface, hinting at the artist's process and the painting's history. Radiography, like art, is a culturally contingent mode of observation. Curator: Precisely. This process reveals how structural integrity influences our perception, transcending mere representation. Editor: It reframes art as both object and document, offering a glimpse behind the curtain. Curator: It also reminds us that unseen forces are at work at all times. Editor: An unexpectedly layered look at artistry.