Jason c. 19th century

Curator: Let's turn our attention to "Jason," an early 19th-century etching by Charles Turner, currently residing in the Harvard Art Museums. It’s rendered with this wonderfully warm sepia tone. Editor: It has this dense, overgrown feeling, almost suffocating. Like the earth itself is breathing, and not in a good way. Curator: Turner, born in 1774, was a master of mezzotint. Think about the material process involved—the careful burnishing of copper plates to create these tonal gradations. This print would have been relatively accessible, circulating images and narratives widely. Editor: Absolutely, that serpent's a real showstopper. I imagine myself there. It's a place of decay, yes, but also of potent magic. A transformative space. Curator: Indeed, and we have to consider the societal context in which it was created. This image ties into larger discourses of heroism, classical mythology, and imperial ambition. Editor: I think that it is so cool how the narrative emerges out of the material here, a feeling evoked not just shown! Curator: Yes, it's a testament to the power of printmaking as a mode of visual storytelling. Editor: Definitely food for thought.