Niobe 1761

Editor: This is William Woollett's "Niobe," a dramatic print. I’m struck by how theatrical the whole scene feels. What social narratives were at play when this was made? Curator: This print places a classical myth into a very contemporary visual market. Prints made art accessible, turning tragic narratives into commodities for the rising middle class. How does this affect our reading of the original myth? Editor: So, the story becomes less about divine justice and more about, say, domestic drama on display? Curator: Precisely. The focus shifts from religious awe to a spectacle of human suffering, carefully staged for public consumption. We’re distanced, watching a tragedy unfold as entertainment. Editor: That changes how I see it completely. I was focusing on the composition but missed the layer of social commentary.