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

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of Raphael's "Madonna and Child" at the Harvard Art Museums. It offers a unique perspective on the historical construction and restoration of the piece. Editor: It’s like seeing a ghost of a painting! What can we learn from looking at an X-ray instead of the finished artwork? Curator: It allows us to question the artist's original intent versus later interventions. How does this radiographic view disrupt traditional notions of authorship and authenticity, especially considering the religious context of the Madonna and Child? Editor: That’s fascinating! It makes you think about how much history a single artwork can hold. Curator: Exactly. And how that history is shaped by social and political forces beyond the artist's hand. It prompts us to consider power dynamics in art history itself.