Vidi, quod aperuisset agnus... (The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse) 1809 - 1810

Curator: Looking at Luigi Sabatelli's etching and engraving, “Vidi, quod aperuisset agnus... (The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse)," created between 1809 and 1810, I feel overwhelmed by its dynamic composition, chaos almost! What strikes you initially? Editor: Well, besides the obvious drama, there's this relentless upward thrust, isn't there? The eye is forced to climb through layers of figures. It creates an oppressive sensation. I want to see it, decode the message in this historical artwork but there’s too much. Curator: It does feel like we are thrown into the heart of a whirlwind. Sabatelli certainly plays with the traditional theme of the Apocalypse, that's certain, those are clearly allegorical figures but you're right, he intensifies the emotional impact with that upward rush! Do you feel it serves to magnify the experience of the Apocalypse, makes it a bit closer to us, more palpable? Editor: Precisely. The dynamism of the horses, the contorted bodies, it evokes movement, speed, which speaks to an encroaching doom. Moreover, look how the figures occupy distinct planes—each seems isolated, contributing to the overall feeling of dread, the linear qualities reinforcing the classical underpinnings. What does this artistic structure mean to you, beyond being representative of its historical time? Curator: I keep circling back to that feeling of being utterly consumed. With all the horses leaping directly to your face I can imagine feeling surrounded. Like, your worst nightmare happening for real! With his skilled crosshatching in the medium to show shadows he pushes you deeper into that experience. The scene is unfolding just now... what's to say we're not there already? I do have one question I need you to confirm. Do you sense an urgency for change? For reform? For something different? Editor: It feels almost rhetorical but maybe the intensity he builds acts as that push you're talking about. Something to contemplate on, for sure. For me, I think the piece speaks to both our ability to analyze history while still being bound by certain interpretations, even today! Curator: Thank you! These allegorical stories have some staying power, don't they?