Psalm CXXXVII, from Illustrations of the Bible 1835

Curator: Here we have John Martin's engraving, "Psalm CXXXVII, from Illustrations of the Bible," created in 1835. It's currently part of the Art Institute of Chicago's collection. Editor: The mood is instantly melancholic, isn’t it? That stark contrast, almost oppressive in its darkness, and then that city, a glittering phantom in the background. Curator: Precisely. Martin captures the essence of the psalm's lament – the Jewish people exiled in Babylon, grieving their lost homeland. You see how he uses the romantic landscape to reflect inner turmoil? Editor: Absolutely, the landscape seems to echo the emotions. The figures are hunched, almost swallowed by the scale of the scene. Are they weeping, do you think, or just utterly despondent? There's a stillness that suggests utter despair. Curator: I'd say a bit of both. Martin was known for these dramatic, almost theatrical compositions, drawn from literary and biblical sources. The city of Babylon looming in the distance is not just a place but also a symbol of their captivity and loss. Think of the socio-political contexts too, empires rising and falling. Editor: It's interesting to consider that backdrop in our present. We so easily assign meanings, historical weight and value... yet, I keep being pulled back to those bowed figures. There's something elemental in grief. This resonates in a profoundly human way. I feel it personally. Curator: That is so well-articulated, the sublime merging of grand historical themes and private, interior sorrows, it also reflects a powerful commentary on displacement and longing. What's interesting, from a curatorial standpoint, is Martin's strategic use of scale to convey power and vulnerability. Editor: That's true. Martin's use of light feels symbolic, as if the distant city, despite its glimmer, offers no comfort, no real hope. Perhaps it’s simply taunting. Curator: Yes, and his deliberate placement of these mourning figures—close to us, but distanced from that far-off place—it's quite strategic. Editor: Overall, a profound demonstration that collective memory is made by individuals, one feeling at a time. Curator: A very evocative point. And the way art serves as a cultural anchor, inviting future conversations with the past. Editor: Well said. Shall we go on to the next piece, then?