Gezicht op het theater van Marcellus 1761

Editor: This etching, "Gezicht op het theater van Marcellus," made by Jean Barbault in 1761, really captures a moment in time. It gives off a melancholic vibe, almost a romantic ruin type of feel. How do you interpret this work, considering the historical context it represents? Curator: This piece provides a potent lens through which to examine the power dynamics inherent in how we view history. Barbault’s work highlights a very specific gaze – the Grand Tourist, often wealthy and of a privileged class, engaging with the ruins of Rome. What do you think this idealized vision obscures about the social realities of 18th-century Rome, and whose voices are left out? Editor: That's a compelling point! I hadn't really considered the socio-economic context behind the image itself. Perhaps the image focuses on an elite engagement with antiquity, which then obscures the day-to-day lives of the Roman people. The inclusion of local residents, even though tiny, normalizes this power dynamic... almost creating an implicit validation of the class hierarchies of the time? Curator: Precisely. Think about how the 'ruin' becomes romanticized. The decay itself is visually compelling. But how might we see the ruin, not as a romantic object, but as a symptom of a power structure? The ruins represent something lost to some, or something yet to be built for others... considering access to clean resources and shelter perhaps. Editor: It’s almost as if, by appreciating the aesthetic qualities, we're overlooking other valid experiences and relationships with it. That's helped me think about the image in a completely different way. Thank you. Curator: Indeed. I leave feeling differently, too! Hopefully now listeners might pause and consider how representations like these reinforce specific perspectives and power structures.