X-radiograph(s) of "Mrs. Rea" 

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of "Mrs. Rea" by John Singleton Copley. Seeing it this way, as an X-ray, is so different. What do you see in this piece? Curator: X-rays reveal the hidden anatomy of art. Notice the eyes—they're intensely illuminated, almost haunting. It speaks to how portraiture has long been about capturing not just likeness, but the very essence, or soul, of the sitter, wouldn't you agree? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way, but that makes sense. Curator: The X-ray strips away the surface, revealing the material reality beneath. We're left with a raw, almost unsettling image, inviting us to consider what remains when societal markers fade away. Editor: It’s like a visual metaphor for peeling back layers of history and identity. Thank you.