X-radiograph(s) of "Thomas Becket (?)" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of "Thomas Becket (?)," by Albert van Ouwater. It's interesting to see the internal structure revealed, but how does the medium shape our understanding of the art? Curator: The radiograph, divorced from the original's color and surface texture, compels us to concentrate on the formal structure. Observe the composition; the planes and volumes articulated solely by tonal variation. The skeletal armature of the work becomes its new aesthetic identity. Editor: So, by stripping away the surface, the radiograph highlights the underlying structure as the primary artistic statement? Curator: Precisely. It forces us to consider the artist's construction and the very materiality that constitutes the image. A shift from surface to essence. Editor: I see what you mean. I wouldn't have thought about the underlying structure without that shift in perspective. Curator: Indeed, reframing perception is key to deeper appreciation.