X-radiograph(s) of "Census at Bethlehem" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Census at Bethlehem" by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It gives us an inside look, literally, at the artist’s process. Editor: It’s ghostly, isn’t it? Like peering into a memory. Seeing the underlayers almost makes the scene feel more intimate, more human. Curator: Absolutely. X-radiography allows conservators and art historians to examine the structure of a painting, to see underdrawings or pentimenti which reveal changes the artist made. Editor: Imagine Brueghel tweaking a figure, adjusting a roofline... he's gone, but we're still witnessing his creative struggle. The politics of imagery is a funny thing. Curator: Precisely. It provides valuable insight into Brueghel's method, enriching our understanding of the final artwork, and art history in general. Editor: Right. It is wild to think that it takes an X-ray to see an artist fully. It gives me shivers.