Figure Standing over Corpses, Blowing a Horn after 1795

Editor: This drawing, “Figure Standing over Corpses, Blowing a Horn,” made by John Flaxman around 1795, uses graphite, I believe. It's stark – the figure's stance above what I presume are fallen bodies… It evokes a very strong, almost desperate feeling. What do you see in this piece that maybe I’m missing? Curator: Desperate, yes, that's a good word. It's got that raw energy, hasn’t it? Flaxman wasn't one for sugarcoating things. Notice the ghostly figure on the left? It looks like the living version is being haunted by the ghostly silhouette of future trauma. Do you feel that the act of blowing the horn could signal victory, warning, or a cry for help, and what implications would it have depending on the interpretation? Editor: Hmm, a cry for help maybe? Or warning for others, and this can be for all kinds of traumas? Curator: Precisely! It hits you in the gut, right? Flaxman isn't just illustrating; he's poking at something deeper. This raw sketch holds history. You know, sometimes art that's unfinished can speak to us the loudest. Because it's in process, like our own understanding. Editor: So true! The roughness sort of mirrors the rawness of the emotions depicted. I think what hits me is how relevant this image feels even now. It's not just about history; it's about the human condition. Thank you for making me see it differently! Curator: Absolutely, the drawing mirrors life— messy, unfinished, and always becoming. It’s why we keep looking.