The Wine Press 1864

Curator: Standing before us is "The Wine Press" by John Roddam Spencer Stanhope. Editor: It looks like a medieval fever dream, all wood and royal robes soaked in grape juice. The king or saint here seems both burdened and strangely serene. Curator: Stanhope, born in 1829, was associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, and this work certainly reflects their interest in symbolism and medieval themes, not to mention the religious undertones. Editor: Yes, the pose and setting evoke Christ's suffering, doesn’t it? Although it’s ambiguous, the barefoot figure, the crushing weight, it all hints at sacrifice. And is that a glimpse of paradise through the press? Curator: Perhaps, or maybe just the Tuscan countryside; Stanhope lived in Florence for much of his life. He saw the aesthetic possibilities of this region and, to me, he really shows them in the art he produced. Editor: Well, paradise or not, it’s a potent image, a blend of earthly labor and ethereal meaning. Curator: Absolutely, a visual poem about transformation and, perhaps, redemption.