Brawl in Ancient Rome(?) c. 18th century

Curator: This is Daniel Nikolaus Chodowiecki's "Brawl in Ancient Rome(?)," a pen and brown ink drawing in the collection of the Harvard Art Museums. It's quite small, only about 11 by 7 centimeters. Editor: It feels like a fleeting moment captured, a sketch of something chaotic and immediate. There's a tension between the active brawl and the static, almost theatrical onlookers. Curator: Yes, the performative aspect of Roman society is certainly hinted at here. Chodowiecki often explored social tensions through seemingly everyday scenes, embedding symbolic meaning within them. The sphinx atop that structure, for example, adds a layer of enigmatic power. Editor: It’s that sphinx that really captures my imagination. It feels almost like a silent judge, observing the petty squabbles of mortals. It makes me wonder what timeless wisdom it holds about the cyclical nature of conflict. Curator: Indeed, the brawl itself could be seen as a microcosm of larger societal conflicts, with the sphinx representing enduring, perhaps even indifferent, historical forces. Editor: I like that – a small fight under the gaze of eternity. It certainly gives the sketch a lot more punch than you'd expect from something so tiny.