View of Part of the City and the Gulf of Naples 1681

Editor: This is Melchior Küsel's "View of Part of the City and the Gulf of Naples," an etching of modest size in the Harvard Art Museums collection. The mood seems almost theatrical. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It presents a carefully constructed tableau of Neapolitan society. Consider who is included versus who is conspicuously absent. The figures on the terrace seem to represent the privileged class, enjoying a leisurely view, while the harbor bustles with labor and trade. Who benefits from that activity, and at whose expense? Editor: So, the image stages a kind of social hierarchy? Curator: Precisely. It invites us to reflect on power dynamics, visibility, and the unseen labor underpinning the facade of leisure. What do you think about that staging of society? Editor: That’s given me a lot to consider in terms of the gaze and who is allowed to enjoy the view. Curator: Exactly. It is a snapshot of a specific time, and an invitation to challenge the structures that it subtly reveals.