Statue of Diana known as "The Gypsy"; Centaur with Bacchus c. 19th century

Curator: Here, we have two drawings by Gaetano Bonatti featuring classical sculptures. The one on the left is a statue of Diana, curiously nicknamed "The Gypsy," and the other a Centaur with Bacchus. Editor: There's a strange stillness, almost melancholy, to both. The shading feels hesitant, lacking the dynamism I'd expect from such mythological subjects. Curator: It's interesting you say that. Bonatti was likely working from existing sculptures, recording their form rather than inventing a narrative. It’s a process of documentation. Editor: True, and perhaps that explains the odd tension. He’s interpreting interpretations. I keep returning to Diana's expression. She seems strangely burdened for a goddess of the hunt. Curator: The nickname "The Gypsy" intrigues me... one wonders if it speaks to a particular interpretation or social commentary of the time. Editor: It definitely injects another layer of meaning into this already fascinating double portrait. Makes you think, doesn't it?