Poets and Muses c. 6th century

Editor: This relief carving, called "Poets and Muses," is by an unidentified artist and held at the Harvard Art Museums. It's hard not to get a sense of classical drama from this piece, almost like a stage frozen in time. What strikes you most when you look at it? Curator: Ah, a tableau of inspiration! I find myself drawn to the interplay between the figures, this dance between the earthly poet and the ethereal muse. It feels intensely personal, as though we're glimpsing a private moment of creation. The expressions feel so raw; what do you see in their gestures? Editor: A sort of reaching, or maybe a longing for connection? Curator: Exactly. And isn’t it interesting that this intimate scene is captured in such a public, permanent medium like relief carving? It makes you wonder about the role of art in preserving and sharing these moments of fleeting inspiration. Editor: It’s like capturing lightning in a bottle. I never thought of it that way.