Ram's Head, after antiquity 19th-20th century

Curator: Joseph Smith gives us "Ram's Head, after antiquity," housed right here at the Harvard Art Museums, its creation date is currently unknown. Editor: Its somber monochrome and visible cracks certainly evoke a sense of antiquity. Curator: The ram, a symbol of virility and sacrifice across cultures, is rendered here with striking realism despite its fractured state. It's a powerful reminder of cultural memory. Editor: Indeed. The way Smith has framed this subject begs the question of who gets to interpret and present the relics of the past. How does a museum context affect our reading of it? Curator: A worthwhile question when viewing a work that carries such potent mythological and symbolic weight. Editor: It leaves me pondering the ongoing dialogue between past and present, and how artists engage with that conversation.