Dancer, after a fresco from Herculaneum c. 19th century

Curator: This is "Dancer, after a fresco from Herculaneum," a tiny wax relief created by the Pichler family. It's quite small, only about 3 x 2.5 x 1 cm. Editor: There's something haunting about it, a ghostly figure emerging from the wax. It feels like a whisper of a dance, barely there. Curator: The Pichler family were well-known for these miniature reproductions of classical artworks. They capitalized on the Grand Tour phenomenon, feeding the desire for portable souvenirs. Editor: Seeing this delicate figure, I think of the women whose lives are absent from the grand narratives, yet their bodies decorate these objects. Who was she, the dancer from Herculaneum? Curator: Exactly. These works raise questions about authenticity, reproduction, and the often-unacknowledged labor involved in their creation and distribution. Editor: It’s a potent reminder that even in these small objects, we can find vast stories of power, gender, and representation echoing through time.