X-radiograph(s) of "Crucifixion" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of “Crucifixion,” originally by Allegretto Nuzi. Its dimensions are 14 by 17 inches. My first impression is a ghostly echo of faith, quite literally under the surface. Editor: Indeed. The X-ray reveals the materiality beneath the visible artwork, challenging notions of surface and depth. What do these unseen layers tell us about artistic intention and the construction of religious narratives? Curator: Perhaps of the artist's process, but also about how we approach images laden with centuries of cultural weight. Does seeing this internal structure destabilize or enrich the icon of crucifixion? Editor: It enriches it. The X-ray exposes vulnerabilities, like an intersectional lens that can reveal the power dynamics inherent to religion, class and artistic creation in the 14th century. Curator: That's a provocative reading. Still, seeing the art this way—peeling back the layers—invites us to reconsider the relationship between form and belief. Editor: And reminds us that even the most sacred images are constructed, not divinely ordained.