Smell early 20th century (original from c.1540)

Curator: This small bronze relief, titled "Smell", presents an intimate scene. The artist remains anonymous, and its age is unknown, but it resides here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It's a captivating little scene, somber even. The figures are so interwoven, almost like one continuous form. Curator: The material itself is crucial here. Bronze, with its capacity for intricate detail, allows us to examine the tactile quality of the scene – the way the figures are pressed into existence, emerging from the metal. Editor: I see a Madonna-like figure at the center, draped and seated. She seems to be tending to a child, while another looks on. It immediately calls to mind the iconography of maternal care, or perhaps even a secularized pietà. Curator: Indeed, the choice of bronze likely wasn't arbitrary, pointing to an aspiration for permanence and value within a particular social context. It elevates a scene of domestic labor. Editor: Right, it transforms the everyday act of tending to children into something enduring, imbued with emotional weight. It suggests a timeless aspect of human existence. Curator: I think examining its size too is vital. It's small, fitting in your hand almost. Intimate and perhaps made for private devotion. Editor: It’s a poignant reminder of the power of art to distill complex emotions into a tangible form, no matter the size. Curator: Yes, and a thoughtful use of material to suggest larger economic and social practices.