X-radiograph(s) of "Madonna and Child" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Madonna and Child," originally painted by Sébastien Bourdon. It’s ghostly, isn’t it? Editor: Intensely so. It almost feels like a spiritual photograph, revealing what's hidden beneath the surface of a traditional Renaissance narrative. Curator: Right? Seeing the underpainting through this lens makes me feel like I'm glimpsing Bourdon's process, his initial vision. Editor: It makes one consider what that vision means. How does it connect to the role of women and children in religious doctrine? What about the unseen labor? Curator: Absolutely! It's like peering through time, watching a master at work, layer by layer. Editor: The art world has so many layers itself; this makes me consider the implications for our contemporary moment. Curator: I love that. It takes a familiar image and defamiliarizes it, and reveals something new. Editor: Indeed. It shows how art can reflect and refract the complex realities of faith and power.