Apollo and Diana Attacking Niobe's Children 1656

Curator: This etching is titled "Apollo and Diana Attacking Niobe's Children," by Giovanni Battista Galestruzzi, who lived from 1615 to 1669. Editor: It’s stark, isn't it? The shading is so sharp; it feels almost theatrical. Like a tragedy unfolding on a rocky stage. Curator: Absolutely. Galestruzzi captures a pivotal moment from Ovid's Metamorphoses. The goddess Niobe, after boasting of her superior fertility to the goddess Leto, suffers the wrath of Leto's children, Apollo and Diana. Editor: The woman on the left, shrouded in shadow, must be Niobe. She looks both terrified and resigned. You can feel the weight of her hubris, the impending doom. A heavy cloak of grief. Curator: Yes, and the dynamic poses of Apollo and Diana readying their bows emphasizes the swift, merciless divine retribution. A powerful lesson in humility. Editor: Right. Makes you wonder about the stories we tell ourselves, the ones we believe too much. Curator: Precisely. Images like this resonate because they tap into timeless themes of pride, envy, and the consequences of challenging the established order. Editor: Well, now I'm wondering what stories *I’m* telling myself... Curator: Perhaps we all should, from time to time.