Plates I and II of Les Soirées de Rome 1764

Curator: This is Plates I and II of Les Soirées de Rome by Hubert Robert. It's currently held in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It feels intimate, doesn't it? Like stumbling upon a secret garden, rendered with such delicate lines. The contrasts feel classical. Curator: Robert, living 1733 to 1808, was known for his picturesque depictions of ruins and landscapes. These etchings were likely part of a larger series, intended for print circulation. Consider the materials, the copper plates and the acid used in etching. Editor: Yes, and the politics inherent in depicting Roman antiquity for a contemporary French audience. The act of preservation, documentation, the power dynamics embedded in whose stories get told. Curator: The labor invested in each plate, the meticulous craftsmanship required, speaks to the value placed on representing these sites. It becomes an act of cultural preservation through mass production. Editor: It’s a fascinating tension, isn’t it? Mass production allowing access to art while simultaneously commodifying and distancing us from the original source of inspiration. I see a dialogue between eras, between power and decay. Curator: Precisely. Editor: I find myself pondering this more now, after our conversation.