X-radiograph(s) of "Madonna Enthroned" 

Curator: We're looking at an X-radiograph of "Madonna Enthroned," attributed to Giotto di Bondone. It's an eerie peek behind the painted surface. Editor: My first thought? Ghostly. You can almost feel the weight of the original image lurking beneath these strange, blurred shapes. Curator: Absolutely, it's like archaeology in monochrome. This image reveals the underdrawings and material structure, the bones, if you will, beneath the flesh of Giotto's masterpiece. Editor: I see the Madonna's form vaguely there, and maybe the infant Christ? It's fascinating to see the stark composition stripped bare—a kind of abstract beauty arises from the technical process. Curator: It's interesting how the radiographic perspective almost democratizes the image, revealing the artist's process, and even the materials, in such a direct way. Editor: It really does invite us to consider the art object as more than just its surface appearance, doesn't it? A hidden world of intentions and materiality revealed. Curator: I find that it gives me a deeper appreciation for the original’s artistry and its construction. Editor: Yes, a strange beauty emerges when we are forced to consider the unseen.