Classical Figure (Zeus?) 1867 - 1868

Curator: This is William Rimmer's pen and ink drawing, "Classical Figure (Zeus?)", currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Oh, what a brooding, slightly melancholic figure. He’s definitely seen better days, hasn’t he? I sense a god in decline, perhaps. Curator: Rimmer’s Zeus carries the weight of classical iconography. Notice the staff, a symbol of authority, and the drapery, which signifies status and power. But it's the face that tells the deeper story. Editor: Exactly! The face is so wonderfully world-weary. The line work is almost frantic, especially around the eyes, hinting at a loss of control, a certain vulnerability beneath the godlike facade. Curator: Perhaps Rimmer was exploring the fragility of power, the human condition even within the divine? The image feels less about celebrating power and more about questioning its permanence. Editor: Yes, and the sketch-like quality adds to that sense of impermanence. A fleeting vision of a god, not a solid, unshakeable deity. It’s captivatingly human. I like him so much more now. Curator: Agreed. Rimmer prompts us to reconsider the symbols we've inherited, seeing them not as fixed, but as fluid representations. Editor: Absolutely. It makes me wonder what other gods might be feeling a bit down these days. Something to ponder.