X-radiograph(s) of "Adoration" 

Curator: This is an x-radiograph of "Adoration", after Filippo Mazzola, currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Measuring 14 by 17 inches, the film reveals what lies beneath the surface of the painting. Editor: It's intriguing, almost ghostly. The grid imposed on the shadowy forms creates a sense of both structure and mystery. Curator: Precisely. X-radiography allows us to investigate Mazzola's process, unveiling hidden layers, alterations, and the very materiality of the artwork. This adds new meaning to ideas of authenticity and value. Editor: Thinking about the materials as a social product, I'm struck by how scientific tools impact our understanding and even our aesthetic experience. Curator: Indeed. It makes us consider the socio-political framework in which art is not only created but also studied. Editor: The way the original is mediated through this technology certainly complicates traditional notions of artistic creation. Curator: Absolutely. Editor: Fascinating to consider how it subverts expectations.