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

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Madonna and Child with Saints" by Marco Basaiti, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. It offers a fascinating glimpse beneath the surface of the artwork. Editor: My initial impression is one of ghostly fragility. The X-ray reveals a hidden world, the skeletal structure of the painting itself. Curator: Absolutely. The layers of paint, the underdrawings, all become visible, revealing the artist's process and any alterations made over time. Consider how the materiality of the canvas and the lead content in the paint interact. Editor: And think about what it means to view a religious icon through this lens. It strips away the idealized image, exposing the labor and materials that went into its creation. It also speaks to the hidden labor and the consumption of materials. Curator: It's a powerful reminder of how art objects are not simply aesthetic creations, but also products of their time, reflecting the social, economic, and religious forces at play. Editor: Seeing the painting deconstructed like this gives me a new appreciation for the craft and the complex history embedded within. Curator: Yes, it pushes us to consider the artwork in its full intersectional complexity.