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

Editor: This is an X-radiograph of "Madonna and Child" by the School of Cimabue. The ghostly image reveals the underpainting. It's fascinating, but what does it tell us beyond the purely technical? Curator: It's a powerful reminder of the layers of meaning embedded in even seemingly straightforward religious iconography. How might the original artist’s choices reflect the prevailing societal expectations of motherhood and divinity? Editor: So, beyond the surface image, you see a commentary on societal expectations? Curator: Precisely. Consider how the Madonna figure has been used historically to both elevate and confine women. This x-ray invites us to question the power dynamics inherent in these representations. Editor: That’s a perspective I hadn't considered. It makes me think about how much is hidden beneath the surface, both literally in the painting and figuratively in the culture that produced it. Curator: Exactly. It's about interrogating the narratives that have been historically imposed upon us.