Sleeping Hermaphrodite, after antiquity c. 19th century

Editor: This is a tiny intaglio, "Sleeping Hermaphrodite, after antiquity", made by the Pichler family. I’m struck by how such a small object carries such a weighty, complex subject. What symbols do you see at play here? Curator: The figure, caught in slumber, evokes vulnerability. But "Hermaphrodite" itself is loaded; it speaks to a blurring of boundaries, a fusion of masculine and feminine. How does this subvert traditional ideas about identity? Editor: I never considered that! The figure, in its peacefulness, seems to challenge those strict divisions. It’s thought-provoking to see such concepts rendered in miniature. Curator: Indeed, it suggests that even in the smallest of forms, the most profound cultural dialogues can take place. Editor: This piece invites us to reconsider how we define ourselves, even today.