After Bernini 1987

Editor: This print, "After Bernini" by Ian Hamilton Finlay, depicts classical figures with striking clarity against a stark background. The woman's sash, emblazoned with "REPUBLIQUE," seems particularly loaded. What historical echoes resonate for you in this piece? Curator: The sash is a vital clue. Finlay is invoking not just classical forms, but the loaded symbolism of the French Revolution. The figures become allegories of liberty and virtue, reshaped by revolutionary fervor. Consider how the cool, linear style contrasts with the passionate, almost chaotic energy of Bernini's baroque sculptures. Do you see a tension there? Editor: I do. It's like a classical ideal being filtered through a very specific historical lens, creating something new and complex. Curator: Precisely. Finlay is using historical memory to question and redefine our understanding of these symbols. It's a potent combination.