Group of French Friars 1810

Editor: So, this is Bartolomeo Pinelli's "Group of French Friars." It’s a small print at the Harvard Art Museums. I’m struck by how the crisp lines create such a lively village scene. What do you see in it? Curator: For me, it's a stage. Pinelli’s etching captures a moment of everyday life with almost theatrical flair. Notice how he uses the landscape – that backdrop of rolling hills – to frame the figures like actors in a play. The friars, with their distinctive habits, become archetypes, and that humble offering of a bowl tells a simple, universal story of charity. It's almost as if Pinelli is asking us, “What part do you play in this scene?” Editor: That’s a great perspective. I hadn’t considered the theatricality. Now I see the figures with new eyes. Curator: Exactly! It's the beauty of art, isn’t it? Always revealing new layers.