Illustration XLVIII c. 16th century

Editor: This is Illustration XLVIII by an anonymous artist, held at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a chaotic scene, a battle perhaps, filled with figures and banners. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This woodcut teems with figures from classical mythology, rendered with a deliberate crudeness. The banners bearing names like 'Minerve' and 'Agamenon' point to a retelling, perhaps a moralizing of the Trojan War. Notice how Cassandra is being dragged, a potent symbol of ignored prophecy and female subjugation, a theme echoing across cultures even now. What emotional residue does that leave? Editor: I see the connection; the image is not just historical, it taps into timeless power dynamics. I appreciate your shedding light on its deeper meaning. Curator: And this act of seeing keeps these memories alive.