X-radiograph(s) of "Madonna and Child" Possibly 1 - 50

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Madonna and Child," attributed to the School of Giovanni Bellini, currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It certainly looks like a ghost of a painting. Editor: My first impression is one of absence, or perhaps potential. The ghostly image gives me the chills. It is like the hidden story of the real painting. Curator: Yes, the X-ray reveals the underpainting, the artist's initial thoughts and process. The grid structure also emphasizes the construction and materiality of the piece. Editor: And within that structure, we see the iconic Madonna and Child motif, stripped bare. This rendering perhaps challenges conventional notions of motherhood and representation of women, exposing the layers of meaning beneath the surface. Curator: Absolutely. The process unveils, it interrogates. Seeing this X-ray allows us to see the labor, the history, the humanity, embedded within the visible work. Editor: Quite, it is like we are looking at the DNA of the artwork. After seeing this, I will never look at a Bellini painting the same way again. Curator: Nor will I. It adds another dimension.