Hera in the Clouds Accompanied by Cupids c. 1724s

Curator: This is Bernard Picart's "Hera in the Clouds Accompanied by Cupids," currently housed at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It feels light, airy, almost ephemeral, doesn't it? The delicate lines create this sense of gentle movement. Curator: Absolutely. Picart, working in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, was deeply embedded in the artistic and intellectual circles of his time. We see the influence of classical mythology, but also this developing Rococo sensibility, a lighter touch. Editor: I am also struck by Hera's pose. She seems less a powerful queen and more a contemplative figure. Does this perhaps reflect a societal gaze upon women, even goddesses, shifting towards ideals of passivity and beauty? Curator: That's a fascinating point. Considering the broader social and gender politics of the era, it's hard to separate the image from the dominant ideologies. Editor: It really makes one think about how even divine figures were, and are, used to reinforce certain narratives.