Costumes from Tivoli 1810

Editor: This is Bartolomeo Pinelli’s "Costumes from Tivoli," a print with no specific date, housed at the Harvard Art Museums. The women carrying loads seem to be central to the scene. What can you tell me about this print? Curator: The print's emphasis on labor and costume points us toward a consideration of social context. The very act of depicting these women as workers, burdens and all, brings into question the traditional boundaries between high art and everyday life. Editor: That makes sense. So, it's not just about the aesthetic but about representing the reality of their labor? Curator: Precisely. Pinelli captures the materiality of their existence – the weight they carry, the clothes they wear, all suggesting a commentary on social and economic structures. Do you think that the artist romanticizes or criticizes their role? Editor: Hmmm, I hadn’t considered that question! I’ll have to think more about it. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's a question worth pondering.