X-radiograph(s) of "Angel holding a Scroll" 

Curator: Here we have an X-radiograph of "Angel holding a Scroll", attributed to Gian Lorenzo Bernini, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s ghostly, isn’t it? Like a photograph of a soul taking flight. I wonder, what does this reveal about how we perceive angels? Curator: This image offers a different perspective. It provides insight into the techniques used by Bernini. The medium, the X-ray, makes us consider what’s beneath the surface. Editor: Angels, historically, are messengers, divine intermediaries. So, here, the scroll suggests the angel's role as a communicator, a vessel of a message. Curator: True, but the X-ray challenges the traditional angelic representation. It exposes the angel's materiality, inviting us to think about the human labor and structure involved in its creation. Editor: Indeed, we are confronted with an image that combines religious symbolism with a forensic lens. It's quite a haunting and fascinating blend.