Tivoli c. 19th century

Curator: It reminds me of a ghost story! The wispy waterfall and looming architecture feel haunted. Historian: Indeed. Here we have a lithograph entitled "Tivoli" by John Pye the Younger, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Curator: Lithograph, huh? It's like the artist captured a fleeting dream on stone, the kind you try to grasp as you wake up, but it slips away. Historian: The picturesque view of Tivoli, with its dramatic waterfalls and classical ruins, was a popular subject for artists and tourists alike during the 19th century. Curator: It feels like a landscape from another time. A little melancholic, maybe because everything's fading. Historian: The print medium itself plays a role in the dissemination of romantic ideals and notions of the sublime, turning this depiction of Tivoli into a widely circulated cultural artifact. Curator: It’s funny, that circulation makes it feel almost... intimate, like we're all sharing the same wistful memory of this place. Historian: Precisely. The democratizing potential of print allowed for a collective experience of art and landscape, reinforcing specific aesthetic values and travel destinations across society. Curator: Thank you for helping me understand the work. Historian: My pleasure.