X-radiograph(s) of "Crucifixion" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Crucifixion" by Joos van Wassenhove; the film measures 14 x 17. Editor: Stark. I am immediately drawn to the ghostly rendering of the scene; it seems fragmented by the very method used to reveal it. Curator: Indeed, the X-ray technique allows us to see the underlayers, revealing the artist's process and any alterations made during the creation of the work. Editor: The composition is still powerful, even in this skeletal form. The lines and implied textures create a new kind of drama. Curator: Consider how such technology alters our reception. Instead of devotional viewing, we engage with materiality; the labor, the wood, the pigment... Editor: I see a different kind of devotion, perhaps. It is a study of form and structure laid bare. Curator: It reveals not just form but also the conditions of production, the social framework that enabled such creation. Editor: True, and perhaps this insight deepens our understanding of the piece's symbolic and aesthetic impact. Curator: Precisely. It's an intersection of art and science reflecting our material engagement. Editor: It has certainly given me a new perspective.