Woman from Aversa 1810

Curator: This is Bartolomeo Pinelli's "Woman from Aversa," an etching—probably from the early 19th century—held in the Harvard Art Museums. It’s a small piece, just six by four and a half inches, but it carries a whole world within it. Editor: Yes! She stands so matter-of-factly—it's almost like a photographic snapshot. But what's she carrying in that sling? It looks a bit like ostrich eggs. Curator: Those are cheeses, actually. She is probably on her way to sell them. It's interesting how Pinelli captures the everyday life of ordinary people. Not royalty or mythical gods. Editor: Right, a celebration of the quotidian. The etching technique, too, gives the scene a certain stark realism. No frills, just a woman and her wares against the land. It is an earthy goddess, of sorts. Curator: An apt description. Pinelli reminds us that the beauty is in the doing, in the survival, and in the story that everyday life tells. Editor: Absolutely. It gives us a deeper appreciation for the things we take for granted. Cheese, a woman's labor, and art's ability to immortalize them.