X-radiograph(s) of "Dorothy Murray Forbes" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of "Dorothy Murray Forbes," after John Singleton Copley. It’s fascinating to see a portrait stripped down to its bare bones like this. What do you make of seeing a painting through this lens? Curator: The X-radiograph reveals more than just the physical structure; it exposes the history embedded within. Notice how the skull beneath the surface is draped in lace and pearls. What stories does this juxtaposition tell us about identity and mortality in the late 18th century? Editor: That’s a powerful connection between outward adornment and the underlying reality. I never would have thought of it that way. Curator: These symbols persist in our cultural memory. Even in radiographic form, the portrait speaks to enduring human concerns: beauty, status, and the inevitable passage of time.