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

Curator: This is an x-radiograph of "Madonna and Child with Saints," originally by Polidoro da Lanciano, now held in the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My initial impression is ghostly, almost like an ethereal imprint on wood. Curator: Indeed. The x-ray reveals not just the painted image but the support and underlayers, illuminating the materials and construction process itself. Editor: It's a fascinating intersection of art and science; imaging technologies allow us to look beyond the surface, exploring the historical context of its making. What can this reveal about the distribution of labor and resources at the time? Curator: Absolutely, we can see how the artist built up the image, any revisions made, and the type of panel used. It shifts our perspective on artistic creation itself. Editor: It’s a powerful reminder that art exists within a specific historical and material reality, shaped by social and institutional practices. Curator: Yes, it prompts us to consider the painting not as an isolated masterpiece but as a product of its time, a convergence of materials, skill, and circumstance.