Hercules between Virtue and Vice c. 19th century

Curator: Here we have Luigi Pichler's intaglio, "Hercules between Virtue and Vice," held at the Harvard Art Museums. The artwork’s precise date is currently unknown. Editor: It feels like a whispered dream, doesn't it? All those soft, swirling forms in creamy white. Curator: Intaglios like this, carved in reverse, were often used as seals, asserting authority and social standing. The imagery, derived from classical antiquity, would resonate with educated elites. Editor: Right, but think of Hercules stuck between a rock and a hard place, such a human moment immortalized in miniature. I can't help but feel for him. Curator: Indeed, the piece encapsulates a timeless dilemma, the constant negotiation between moral rectitude and base temptation. A very public lesson on a private token. Editor: It is a tiny world of decisions. I'll be pondering that seal for a while.