Canto 17, p. 139 1572

Curator: I see chaos and drama! The black and white contrast makes everything so immediate. Editor: Indeed. This is Canto 17, page 139, an anonymous engraving held here at the Harvard Art Museums. I'm struck by how it evokes a sense of violence and upheaval, possibly gesturing towards the socio-political tensions of its time. Curator: I love how the artist captures movement with all the linear strokes, especially in the water and the horses. It's like you can almost hear the sounds of battle! Editor: The ships in the background contrast with the foreground action, perhaps symbolizing the clash between sea power and land-based conflict. This also speaks to larger themes of colonialism, power, and exploitation. Curator: It does make you wonder who is fighting whom and what's at stake in the scene. Editor: Absolutely. Art like this serves as a historical mirror, inviting us to question narratives of conquest and consider the human cost of conflict.