Departure of Abraham and Lot c. 18th century

Editor: This is "Departure of Abraham and Lot" by Francesco Bartolozzi. It's a print, so black and white, and it feels like a whole community is on the move. What do you see in this piece, particularly in the way Bartolozzi uses symbols? Curator: The pyramids in the background act as a silent witness, suggesting the weight of history and the cyclical nature of human experience, wouldn't you agree? Consider how the waterfall on the right contrasts with the figures in motion, implying both renewal and the constant flow of time. Editor: That's insightful. I hadn't noticed the contrast between stillness and movement. Curator: The arrangement of figures – Abraham leading, the waterfall, the pyramids, creates a visual echo across millennia. Editor: This makes me think about how symbols persist over time, even if their meanings shift. Curator: Precisely. It's a reminder that images are never static, but always interacting with the viewer's own cultural memory.