X-radiograph(s) of "Vision of St. Domenic" 

Curator: This is an X-radiograph of "Vision of St. Domenic," attributed to Bernardo Daddi, film size 14 by 17 inches, held in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It's striking how the X-ray reveals the underlying structure. It looks like a grid, almost like a minimalist, modern composition. Curator: Yes, these reveal the artist's process and materials. It shows the panel construction beneath the paint layers of the original artwork. Editor: It also provokes questions about labor, the unseen hands that prepared the surface. What was their social status, their stories? Curator: The grid structure provides a kind of formal harmony, a framework upon which Daddi layered his artistry. Editor: But the visible cracks and imperfections hint at the passage of time, the vulnerabilities inherent in even the most revered artworks. Curator: It’s fascinating to consider how this scientific image enhances our understanding of art history and materiality. Editor: Absolutely, and it reminds us that art is not static. It evolves and changes through the labor that creates it.