Ovid (from Parnassus) c. 19th century

Curator: There's such a pensive, almost melancholy air to this portrait. The subject seems lost in thought. Editor: Indeed. We're looking at Pietro Ghigi's engraving, "Ovid (from Parnassus)," housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. Ghigi's rendering invites a consideration of Ovid's place in the cultural and political landscape of his time. Curator: Ovid, exiled by Augustus, is often viewed as a figure of artistic resistance. Does this image challenge or perpetuate the established power structures of artistic representation? Editor: The laurel wreath is a clear symbol of poetic achievement, but the downward gaze hints at the weight of imperial judgment. The print also emphasizes the importance of the artist who is representing Ovid and how history remembers both figures. Curator: This image is a poignant reminder of the personal costs of artistic expression, then and now. Editor: Absolutely. It serves as an enduring testament to the complex relationship between art, authority, and identity.