X-radiograph(s) of "Flemale Altar, Madonna and Child Panel" 

Curator: Here we see an x-radiograph of the "Flemalle Altar, Madonna and Child Panel," by an anonymous artist. What catches your eye? Editor: The ghostly imagery, of course. The Madonna and Child, rendered in these translucent shades, seems to hover between presence and absence, echoing themes of divine mystery. Curator: Indeed. The radiography reveals the artist's process—underdrawings, pentimenti, and the very structure of the wood panel. It's like peeling back the layers of time and craftsmanship. Editor: Note the objects near the bottom, a wheel and perhaps some vegetation. These aren't mere decoration; they're loaded with symbolic weight related to the Virgin Mary. Curator: Certainly. But more fascinating to me is the labor involved. Think of the woodworker, the pigment grinders—the whole pre-industrial apparatus needed to create this image. Editor: I still find the emotional impact of the imagery striking. The Madonna's tender gaze, even in this ghostly form, speaks volumes across the centuries. Curator: A powerful combination, wouldn't you agree? The raw materiality meeting the symbolic resonance of the image. Editor: Absolutely. It makes one ponder the enduring power of symbols and their connection to the physical world.