X-radiograph(s) of "Madonna and Child" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Madonna and Child," attributed to the School of Piero di Cosimo, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. The image offers an intriguing look beneath the surface. Editor: It has an ethereal quality. The stark contrast highlights the skeletal structure underlying the soft curves we typically associate with Renaissance depictions of motherhood. Curator: Indeed. X-radiography allows us to examine the artist's process, revealing underdrawings, pentimenti, and the materials employed. Think of the socio-economic context surrounding pigment acquisition! Editor: And consider the implications of revealing the unseen. Is it a demystification of the Madonna, or does this radiographic perspective offer a new lens through which to view ideals of motherhood and power? Curator: The image reflects not only artistic intent but also the historical and scientific methods employed to study art objects. Editor: I find myself considering its strange beauty, a ghostlike rendering which perhaps makes visible the hidden labor involved in the creation and reception of iconic images.