Forese’s Elevation 1807

Curator: This is John Flaxman’s "Forese’s Elevation," a delicate engraving that entered the Tate collection. There’s a striking ethereal quality to it. Editor: Indeed. The stark lines and minimal shading lend a sense of purity, but also of labor—the deliberate act of carving those lines into the metal plate to produce this image. Curator: The figures, caught between earthly constraints and divine ascension, really speak to the potent symbolism of Dante’s journey through purgatory, a tale of spiritual purification. Editor: It’s fascinating how Flaxman relies solely on line to convey such complex ideas about morality and redemption. Think of the production—metal, ink, paper—common materials to convey lofty themes. Curator: Flaxman really captures the emotional weight of striving for a higher state of being. Editor: And it’s through readily available materials, transformed by human labor. A powerful thought to leave us with.