Purification from Envy 1807

Editor: John Flaxman's "Purification from Envy," a drawing residing in the Tate Collections, presents a scene with figures on clouds and below on earth. It feels like a depiction of moral cleansing, but what do you see in this piece? Curator: It's compelling to consider this work through a lens of social hierarchies. The figures aloft, seemingly weightless and free, contrast sharply with those below, bound to the earth. Do you see parallels in contemporary society? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way. It makes me consider the concept of "purity" and who gets to define it. Curator: Exactly. The very notion of purification can be a tool of oppression, used to exclude and marginalize those deemed "impure." It prompts us to question power dynamics. Editor: That's a powerful interpretation. It makes me realize that art can be both beautiful and a reflection of societal inequalities.