Horatius Coclès Défendant Le Pont Du Sublicius 

Editor: So, here we have *Horatius Coclès Défendant Le Pont Du Sublicius*, an oil painting by Charles Le Brun. The scene is incredibly active, a full-on battle it seems, but I'm struck by the earthy tones and, specifically, the physical presence of that wooden bridge. What stands out to you about this work? Curator: For me, it’s about that very bridge construction, the material reality underlying this heroic narrative. We see wood, surely locally sourced, crudely hewn, forming a precarious defense. Consider the labor involved: the felling of trees, the transportation of materials, the carpentry… ordinary people producing the infrastructure upon which legends are built. Editor: That’s fascinating. It's easy to get caught up in the idealized figures, the Roman heroicism… Curator: Exactly! But what about the folks who built this bridge, those nameless individuals ensuring the physical defense? Look at the lower figure in the painting: A classical representation of the river, the very stuff of the setting. The work highlights the consumption of labour and how it serves both to uphold dominant social and cultural ideology, as well as contribute to that structure, as literally embodied by that construction. Editor: I hadn't considered the bridge in that light at all. Is Le Brun consciously highlighting these overlooked aspects of society? Curator: Perhaps not overtly, but as materialists, we can foreground these realities. How much did Le Brun reflect on those nameless builders when using their environment? And, critically, how does this inform or even undermine the heroic ideal he presents? This material context shifts our entire reading of the piece. Editor: Wow, I see it so differently now. Looking at it now, considering that wood and labor changes my perspective. Thank you! Curator: Absolutely! Paying attention to the material realities often uncovers unspoken narratives.