Referencing XAML element from C# with x:Name

Hi guys,

in the file foo.xaml (the XAML file) I have something like this:

<Image x:Name="pippo"/>

in the file foo.xaml.cs (the C# file) I tried to reference the element in this way:

Image im = (Image)pippo;

I was sure that I'd get it right cause pippo's an image in the xaml file, but unfortunatly it gives an System.InvalidCastException.

Why is that?