Faun with Kid, after the Antique c. 1873 - 1875

Editor: This is James Carroll Beckwith's "Faun with Kid, after the Antique." It's a pretty large drawing, over two feet tall, and has such dramatic lighting. What do you see in this study? Curator: I see a perpetuation of classical ideals, filtered through a late 19th-century lens. Consider the original Faun figure - an untamed, sensual being, now rendered almost academic. How does the artist’s choice to depict this figure in a study format, drained of color, impact its original connotations of freedom and transgression? Editor: I guess it feels less…rebellious than I'd expect. Curator: Exactly. The act of copying itself can be seen as a form of control, domesticating a symbol of wildness. Perhaps Beckwith is commenting on the taming of nature within the art world itself. What do you think? Editor: That gives me a lot to think about. Thank you. Curator: My pleasure! It’s always worthwhile to question the power dynamics at play, even in seemingly straightforward works.