X-radiograph(s) of "Pieta" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Pieta," originally by Bartolomeo Montagna, held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Haunting. It looks like a ghostly image, a sort of negative space meditation on grief, doesn’t it? Curator: Absolutely. The Pieta, a classic motif, usually depicts Mary cradling the dead Christ. Here, we see the skeletal understructure, revealing layers unseen. Editor: Yes, the symbol of the Pieta is rooted in maternal love, sacrifice, and acceptance. This X-ray renders it almost abstract, stripping it to its barest form. Curator: It's a powerful reminder that art isn't always what it seems on the surface. What is represented and the internal structures are fascinating. Editor: The cultural memory embedded in the Pieta still resonates, even in this spectral form. Something deeply human persists. Curator: Indeed, revealing a new way to look at the universal themes found in the original. Editor: Yes, perhaps it makes you consider both the seen and unseen aspects.