Illustration LXIV: the 18th figure: the merchants of the earth weep over the fall of Babylon (Revelation 18). c. 16th century

Editor: This is "Illustration LXIV: the 18th figure: the merchants of the earth weep over the fall of Babylon" by an anonymous artist. It's a rather striking image. The merchants seem devastated. What do you see in this piece beyond the immediate biblical narrative? Curator: It's interesting to consider this depiction of the merchants. This work, with its roots in religious text, also speaks volumes about early economic anxieties and power structures. Who benefits, and who is harmed, when systems collapse? How is Babylon a symbol for something larger than just a city? Editor: So, you're suggesting we consider the fall of Babylon as a potential commentary on economic injustice, even back then? Curator: Precisely. The weeping merchants invite us to critically examine wealth disparity and the human cost of unchecked capitalism. What are the contemporary Babylons, and who is weeping now? Editor: That reframes the whole image. I thought it was solely about religious prophecy. Curator: It’s about the intersection, and about how power and inequality are perennial themes in art and life.