Avarice 1869

Curator: This is Jean Jules Jacott's "Avarice", housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. The figures seem caught in an eternal struggle. Editor: The mood is heavy, isn’t it? The figures contorted, burdened… there's an overwhelming sense of exploitation and desperation in their poses. Curator: Absolutely. Jacott utilizes classical figurative language here, echoes of Michelangelo's burdened figures or even ancient depictions of the titan Atlas bearing the weight of the world. Editor: I see the parallels. It makes me think about the ways systems of power extract labor, particularly gendered labor. The woman's position under that heavy sack is quite telling. Curator: Indeed. The iconography here reinforces this. We see greed literally weighing people down, crushing them beneath material desire. It transcends time, doesn't it? Editor: Sadly, yes. It speaks to ongoing cycles of exploitation – a damning critique of capitalism's relentless demands. Curator: It is a sobering reflection on the human condition. Editor: A powerful, albeit painful, piece to consider.