Plate 9: the Greeks opening the bag of wind, thinking there is gold inside, driving their vessel to the island of Circe 1756

Curator: This print, created by Bartolomeo Crivellari in 1756, is titled "Plate 9: the Greeks opening the bag of wind, thinking there is gold inside, driving their vessel to the island of Circe." It's an etching, currently held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The swirling lines and stark contrast give it an almost frantic energy. How do you interpret its composition? Editor: That energy really strikes me, too. It seems chaotic but also deliberate, like everything is pushing towards some unknown point. All the figures feel very classical in their rendering. There's a story here, but what is the core of the piece about, would you say? Curator: We must analyze the elements at play, focusing solely on what’s presented. Observe the interplay between the figures: the turbulent horses emerging from the sea, the reclining figure with a trident, and the distant ship. Consider the significance of line. Note its varied weights which give depth and rhythm. Could we not argue that these lines and compositional elements function as a narrative in themselves, separate from the literal tale? Editor: So you're suggesting the chaos in the lines *is* the story, perhaps reflecting the inner turmoil or the unexpected consequences of the Greeks' actions? Curator: Precisely. The linear quality gives structure to the represented events and creates a narrative around intemperance. Without reference to the specific mythological context, it exists on its own terms. Observe the interplay of light and shadow that creates the tonality and mood, and consider its purpose in establishing narrative and themes within the work. Editor: I never thought to separate it from the Greek myth so much. The lines do create a certain anxiety outside of any narrative elements. So by concentrating on composition, we are seeing something far broader! Curator: Exactly. A rigorous approach to art and its forms allows an expansion, not limitation, of understandings. Editor: I understand this work, and Formalist perspective, much more clearly now. Thank you.