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

Curator: This x-radiograph of Nicolaes Maes’s "Portrait of a Woman," from the Harvard Art Museums, is surprisingly haunting. Editor: Absolutely. The density variations reveal the artist's process—pentimenti, layering, the sheer labor involved in depicting a wealthy subject. Curator: The canvas weave is so prominent, underscoring the material support beneath the illusion. It also speaks to broader social hierarchies and the act of commissioning and producing such portraits. Editor: Indeed. The image demystifies the act, turning attention to the material reality of artistic production and labor. Curator: It reminds us that the canvas and paint were also commodities within a complex economic system. Editor: Yes, shifting our focus from the idealized subject to the very tangible work of art.