May 30 - 1793

Curator: Look at this scene; “May,” an engraving by Francesco Bartolozzi after William Hamilton, dating to 1793. The Art Institute of Chicago holds this print. I see the artist captured a pastoral tableau full of figures amidst what I assume are May Day festivities. Editor: There is a hazy sweetness to the piece, despite the figures’ somewhat awkward postures. It feels classically idyllic, doesn’t it? Though that foreground feels overly staged. Curator: This was made during the rise of Romanticism. What appears staged to your eye reflects a trend of idealizing rural life. Look closer; a Maypole suggests a communal celebration, a prominent part of late 18th-century social life in Europe. The presence of such communal celebration would bring a certain order in society with celebrations acting as symbols of togetherness for the community. Editor: I'll grant you the period's impulse toward such representations, but even within those conventions, look at the composition. The artist uses a kind of vignette, shaping our view—or maybe this an example of decorative conventions in printmaking. The lines are soft but the colours lack nuance. This flatness makes it hard to ignore. Curator: Consider how this print circulated at the time. It was accessible, reproduced easily, meant for display in homes. This is how visual culture shaped and standardized romantic ideals. This wasn’t just an artwork; it played a role in constructing social identities. Editor: That makes perfect sense! Viewing the colour and composition choices as less artistic failings and more social facilitators is so helpful in its interpretation. Still, I wish he had worked on getting that foreground sorted. Curator: Agreed. My own tastes aside, I’m now even more interested in its original owner and its presence in domestic space. Editor: Yes. So many layers here as usual. It just takes some careful thinking through these artistic strategies of idealizing community.