Eagle of St. John, Basilica of St. Anthony, Padua, Italy c. 20th century

Curator: This is a drawing of the Eagle of St. John, from the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua, Italy, by Kenneth John Conant. It resides in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: I'm struck by the precision. You can almost feel the weight of the paper, the delicacy required to render this monumental sculpture in such fine detail. Curator: Indeed, Conant's meticulous drawing provides a valuable record of the Basilica's architectural details, speaking to preservation and the role of documentation in art history. Editor: It also hints at the labor involved in the original sculpture, the chiseling and shaping of stone to create such a powerful symbol. It's not just about the eagle, but about the hands that brought it into being. Curator: Absolutely, and how the image of the eagle circulates, reinforcing the cultural and religious narratives associated with St. John. Editor: Thinking about the material and symbolic power visualized here gives a new sense of the forces and people it represents.