X-ray Comparison: The Painting and Giampietrino

Main X-ray Differences

Support Preparation and Underlying Layers

According to the National Gallery, London, the panel attributed to Giampietrino has a gesso/glue preparation and an imprimatura layer that modulate the appearance of the X-ray image. This stratigraphy may contribute to a more homogeneous and less contrasted image.

X-ray Appearance of the Versions Attributed to Giampietrino

In the X-rays of the London and Budapest versions, the figure of Christ and the cross remain legible, but with markedly weaker contrasts than in The Painting. The flesh tones appear more uniform, suggesting a more limited use of highly radiopaque pigments, especially lead white.

Observable Technical Differences

The comparison shows, in The Painting:

• a stronger X-ray contrast, particularly in the flesh tones;
• reworkings visible in the image, including the thumb;
• changes made during execution that are more readily identifiable.

These X-ray differences are consistent with an independent observation from the technical examination of the paint layer, University of Bologna, 2022: “the technique used is not compatible with Gianpietrino’s practice on the basis of the technical data currently available.”