X-radiograph(s) of "Adoration of Magi" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Adoration of Magi," originally by Sano di Pietro. It's held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It looks like a ghost! This ghostly image speaks to the hidden layers beneath the surface of the painting, doesn't it? Curator: Precisely. X-radiography allows us to see the artist's process, the underdrawings, and the materials used in a new light. How does the material composition influence our understanding of the piece? Editor: It forces us to consider the labor involved, the sourcing of pigments, the socio-economic factors at play in the creation of a devotional image. It reveals hidden power dynamics. Curator: Absolutely. We see not just the final image, but a record of decisions, revisions, and the physical act of making. And how it reflects the power structure of the era and artist. Editor: Seeing it this way allows us to deconstruct the art historical narrative, to consider it outside of purely aesthetic terms. Curator: It reminds us that artworks are not just images but material objects with histories, both visible and unseen. Editor: An important reminder, changing how we engage with art.