X-radiograph(s) of "Head of Virgin" Possibly 15 - 89

Editor: Here we have an X-radiograph of the "Head of the Virgin," an original Pontormo piece, located at the Harvard Art Museums. It's fascinating to see beneath the surface like this. What does this radiograph reveal to you? Curator: This image beautifully exposes the materiality behind the art. The x-ray allows us to see Pontormo’s process: the construction, the layering of paint, and even the panel preparation. It brings into focus the labor and the materials used in creating this iconic image. Editor: So, it's less about the Virgin herself and more about the means of production? Curator: Precisely. It's about understanding art not just as divine inspiration, but as a product of skill, labor, and tangible resources. That shifts our understanding entirely. Editor: That’s a really interesting way to look at it, focusing on how it was made changes the whole perspective.