X-radiograph(s) of "Madonna and Child" and "St. Catherine" (diptych) 

Curator: Here we have an X-radiograph of a diptych, "Madonna and Child" and "Saint Catherine," originally painted by Rogier van der Weyden. Editor: The stark contrast, the ghostly figures… it's like looking at the bones of a masterpiece. What does this process reveal about its construction? Curator: The X-rays show us the underdrawings, the artist's initial thoughts, the changes made during the painting process. Think of the layers of intention. Editor: Fascinating. We can almost see the hand of the artist, the materiality of the paint itself, rendered as pure, structural information. Curator: Yes, it’s a strange kind of portrait, isn’t it? A portrait of a portrait, revealing hidden depths. It's a window into the past. Editor: Absolutely. It highlights the labor and craft involved, shifting our focus from the finished image to the mechanics of its creation. Curator: It lets us see not just what was created, but how it was brought into being. Editor: Right, it makes you consider the unseen effort and ingenuity behind the beauty. That is why process and the material world are important.