X-radiograph(s) of "Pieta" 

Curator: Here we have an X-radiograph of "Pieta," after Quentin Metsys, residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The initial impression is a haunting grid—an almost digital veil over what appears to be a recognizable form. Curator: Indeed, the underlying composition retains the triangular structure characteristic of many Pietà depictions, yet the X-ray reveals the artist's process, his revisions, the materiality of the paint itself. Editor: It is fascinating how the artist’s labor and the evolution of the underpainting are laid bare. It prompts thoughts on the layers of creation, both physical and social, behind even the most revered images. Curator: And these ghostly shapes become imbued with new meaning through their semiotic relationship with the underlying canvas. It subverts our expectations of representational art. Editor: Yes, it's no longer just about the religious scene, but about the very act of making, the unseen efforts that shape our visual culture. Curator: It compels us to reconsider the interplay between surface and depth within artistic creation. Editor: Absolutely, and to recognize the value inherent in the craft, the material reality behind the sacred image.