X-radiograph(s) of "Madonna and Child" Possibly 6 - 78

Curator: Here we have an x-radiograph of "Madonna and Child" from the school of Sandro Botticelli, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Haunting, isn't it? Like a ghost of a painting. A glimpse beneath the surface, stripping away the color, revealing the bare bones of the creative process. Curator: Precisely. Radiography allows us to see the underdrawing, the artist's initial intentions, and any later alterations. The Madonna becomes an archetype, a primal maternal figure defined by flowing lines. Editor: It's like an x-ray of faith itself, revealing the structure beneath the belief. Seeing the scaffolding, though, doesn't diminish the mystery, does it? Curator: Not at all. It enhances it, revealing the layers of meaning and the hand of the artist, both visible and invisible, shaping the enduring image. Editor: Indeed. We are left contemplating not just a beautiful image, but its hidden history.