Headpiece c. 18th century

Editor: Here we have Jean-Baptiste Michel’s diminutive "Headpiece," from the 18th century, at the Harvard Art Museums. The busy composition shows a coastal scene, but it feels very…staged, somehow. How do you interpret this work? Curator: I see a potent commentary on colonialism masked as a simple landscape. Note the contrast: a fortified settlement juxtaposed with what appears to be indigenous life on the shore. Do you see the power dynamics at play here, the way the colonizers are centered? Editor: I hadn’t considered the symbolism of the settlement's position. So, it's less a peaceful scene and more about the imposition of power? Curator: Precisely. Michel uses the visual language of his time to subtly critique the colonial project, revealing its impact on both the land and its people. It prompts us to question whose perspective is truly being represented. Editor: That's a powerful reading. I’ll never look at seemingly innocuous landscapes the same way again! Curator: Indeed. Art often serves as a mirror, reflecting not just what we see, but also the systems that shape our world.