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

Editor: We're looking at an x-radiograph of "Madonna and Child," by Jacopo Palma. It feels so detached from the original painting, more like an abstract grid. What can an x-ray tell us about a painting's history and public reception? Curator: X-rays offer a glimpse behind the curtain, revealing the artist's process, materials, and later interventions. It transforms a devotional image into an object of scientific study, shifting its cultural value. Editor: So, it's not just about art, but also about how we choose to study and understand it? Curator: Precisely. The x-ray becomes a new layer of meaning, reflecting our modern obsession with transparency and authentication in the art world. What do you make of that? Editor: I hadn't thought about it that way. It adds a whole other dimension to how we value and interpret art. Curator: Indeed, it prompts us to question the very nature of art historical inquiry.