The Naval Battle of Meloria 1743 - 1790

Curator: Giovanni David offers us a dramatic glimpse into "The Naval Battle of Meloria," dating from between 1743 and 1790. Executed in pencil, this drawing or print resides here at The Met. What's your initial take? Editor: Chaotic, almost feverish. The swirling lines and multiple perspectives create a sense of intense, overwhelming conflict. It feels like you're right there in the thick of it. Curator: It’s interesting how the composition almost bursts out from the center, expanding toward this suggested semicircle. David seems concerned with capturing the entirety of this significant historical event. He’s compressing space and time. Editor: It’s a history painting, yes, depicting the 1284 battle between Genoa and Pisa. Look how the bodies are tossed about—they don’t read as heroic victors, but rather, vulnerable beings at the mercy of larger forces. What symbolism might be at play here? Curator: The battle itself became a symbolic event for Genoa, representing their ascendancy and the decline of Pisan power. The crowded composition, with ships and figures enmeshed, could speak to the interconnectedness of power, trade, and ultimately, the human cost of ambition. I’m also struck by how David leaves certain elements unfinished, almost ghostly. Editor: Precisely. The open linework almost allows us to fill in the gaps, implicating the viewer in the creation—or perhaps the recreation—of this historical narrative. It emphasizes the human tendency to remember, embellish, and, potentially, mythologize events. Curator: In some ways, it captures the inherent instability of historical memory. It isn’t just about a victor and vanquished; the symbolic value continues shifting and morphing across the years, just as the sketch itself feels transient. Editor: A fascinating commentary on the subjective nature of victory and defeat, power, and remembrance—all wrapped in this incredibly dynamic composition. I think David reminds us that history is never truly settled.