The Pleiades 1886

Editor: This is "The Pleiades" by F. E. Fillebrown, made in 1886. It's an engraving, and I find its swirling composition so dreamlike. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's fascinating how Fillebrown uses the visual language of Symbolism in an American context. Notice how the swirling vortex and ethereal figures challenge the dominant realist aesthetic of the late 19th century. The choice to depict a mythological subject like the Pleiades – the seven daughters of Atlas turned into stars – signals a desire to move beyond the observable world into the realm of the imagined and the symbolic. How might its cultural and political contexts have received such art? Editor: Well, wouldn’t the embrace of mythology signal a rejection of industrialization, perhaps, a yearning for a pre-industrial, more spiritual past? A retreat, maybe? Curator: Exactly! And consider the medium: engraving. This wasn’t painting for the wealthy elite; it was a print, making it more accessible. In that respect, do you think it carries a certain democratic ambition by presenting this symbolic narrative to a broader public? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way. The accessibility of print, contrasted with the elite subject matter...It’s complex! It’s almost as though the artist wanted to democratize access to a sort of spiritual escape. Curator: Precisely. It complicates how we understand the art market and cultural aspirations of the time. What seems escapist could also be subtly subversive. Editor: I see. Thanks! I definitely have a new appreciation for how this print interacts with the cultural currents of its time. Curator: Absolutely. By exploring its historical context and production methods, we can discern a narrative that goes far beyond its aesthetic beauty.