Council of Jupiter, Minerva, and Mercury 1805

Curator: John Flaxman, born in 1755, created "Council of Jupiter, Minerva, and Mercury." It is currently held in the Tate Collections. Editor: The spare lines give it a stark, almost ethereal quality. Curator: Indeed. Flaxman was known for his neoclassical style, drawing heavily from classical antiquity. These outlines suggest a print process, where labor and reproducibility were vital. Editor: It's interesting how the socio-political context of the time influenced artistic production; the rise of printmaking allowed wider access to such scenes. Curator: Precisely. Consider the consumption of such imagery among a rising middle class seeking cultural refinement. Editor: It seems this image, beyond its mythological subject, becomes a marker of its own era's aspirations and values. Curator: Reflecting on its materiality and modes of distribution really changes how we perceive its meaning. Editor: Agreed. It certainly gives a deeper appreciation.