View of Messina Harbor 1783

Curator: This drawing is titled "View of Messina Harbor," created in 1783 by Louis François Cassas, here on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is made with etching, print and drawing on paper. Editor: Wow, there's such a quiet drama to this work; even though it's monochromatic and not overly detailed, I immediately feel the weight of history, the echoes of everyday life of 18th century harbor activity, somehow suspended in time. It makes me wonder about what they’re carrying…what’s the buzz on the docks? Curator: It is fascinating to examine this work with contemporary views on the exploitation of maritime laborers during this historical time period. Cassas offers a serene landscape, but seen through the lens of critical theory, we might ask: who is missing? Where are the narratives of those whose labor made this port city thrive? What does "maritime" even mean when we consider colonialism, exploitation, and gender at sea? Editor: You’re so right—now I'm looking more closely, it definitely has a detached vibe. It reminds me a bit of those old Hollywood backdrops. There’s a certain romanticizing of what surely was, for most folks, an exhausting and tough reality. The detail in the ships themselves contrasts starkly with the anonymity of the figures milling about the port. Curator: The cityscape itself is revealing. Notice the sweeping, neoclassical architecture contrasted with the bustling port. This visual tension speaks to the way that power is often presented, the tension between those that produce value and those that benefit from it. This composition invites interrogation of how visual strategies can both reveal and conceal historical and contemporary power dynamics. Editor: So, if this print is a conversation starter, maybe its about showing that idyllic scenes still need unpacking. It shows a need to remember who paints the pretty picture and whose hands made that paint. I appreciate how you framed that, because on my own I may have glazed over it a little too quickly. Curator: It's artworks like these, I think, that give art and historical inquiry so much contemporary relevance. This drawing, rendered so delicately, is so, so loaded. It's the tip of an iceberg of potential and nuanced interpretation!