Dido and Aeneas c. 19th century

Editor: This is "Dido and Aeneas" by James Tibbits Willmore, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. It has a sense of classical grandeur but also a feeling of melancholy. How do you interpret this work? Curator: It’s interesting to view this through a post-colonial lens. Aeneas's journey is fraught with notions of displacement and destiny, isn't it? He abandons Dido to found Rome, a legacy built on the ruins of her personal tragedy. Editor: So, Dido’s story highlights the marginalized voices in grand narratives? Curator: Precisely. Her agency is erased to serve a patriarchal, imperialistic ambition. This engraving invites us to question the cost of "progress." Editor: That's a powerful perspective. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. It challenges us to re-evaluate the stories we inherit.