Three Soldiers c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have Jacques Stella's "Three Soldiers," a drawing at the Harvard Art Museums. They seem weary, almost melancholic. What do you see in this piece beyond the surface depiction of soldiers? Curator: I see the weight of patriarchal structures, embodied in these figures of war. How do these depictions reflect power dynamics? Consider the role of the military in enforcing societal norms and suppressing dissent. Do you see this reflected here? Editor: I hadn't thought about it like that. The soldiers seem tired, but powerful. Curator: Exactly. Their weariness doesn't negate their power, but rather complicates it. Stella asks us to contemplate the personal toll of upholding systems of control. Perhaps even their own subjugation to power. Editor: That’s a profound reframing, looking beyond individual soldiers to the larger forces at play. Thank you!