Head of Cincinnatus Turned Three-Quarters Right c. 1529 - 1535

Editor: This is Domenico Beccafumi's Head of Cincinnatus Turned Three-Quarters Right, held at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like a study, maybe a preliminary sketch. What catches your eye when you look at it? Curator: The texture, definitely. It's like looking at a fresco that's been weathered by centuries. You can almost feel the grit under your fingers. It reminds me of a memory, fragmented and beautiful, trying to hold onto something just beyond reach. What about you? Editor: I can see that. I was stuck on the subject. Cincinnatus was this Roman citizen-soldier, right? A symbol of civic virtue? Curator: Exactly! Beccafumi probably aimed to capture not just a likeness, but the weight of responsibility, the quiet dignity of someone who serves a greater purpose. It makes you wonder about the models he used, doesn't it? Ordinary faces elevated to legendary status. Editor: Wow, I hadn't thought of that. The Roman citizen part... so much to learn! Curator: Isn’t it fabulous? Each encounter with a piece of art offers a new perspective, a novel lens through which to examine history and culture!