Funeral procession, the Blessed Virgin 

Editor: We're looking at "Funeral procession, the Blessed Virgin," an etching by Giovanni Battista Piranesi. I’m immediately struck by the dramatic use of perspective and the raw emotion in the figures carrying the…is that a body? How do you interpret this work? Curator: Well, let’s consider Piranesi’s context. He was working during a time when the Grand Tour was popular, and wealthy Europeans were traveling to Rome to see its ancient ruins. Piranesi capitalized on this, creating prints that depicted both the grandeur and the decay of Roman architecture. Notice how the scale is manipulated: the figures seem almost dwarfed by the architectural setting, which has implications beyond mere visual effect. What public message might Piranesi be conveying by choosing this unusual, theatrical perspective? Editor: It makes me feel a little uneasy. It’s like we're viewing a sacred event through a very subjective, almost voyeuristic lens. Curator: Precisely. Think about the institutional forces at play. The Catholic Church was a major patron of the arts, but there was also a growing fascination with classical antiquity. Piranesi’s prints navigate this tension. He's presenting a religious subject – the funeral of the Virgin Mary – but grounding it in a decaying, almost pagan setting. What does this tension, between the sacred and the profane, the classical and the baroque, tell us about the way Piranesi conceived of his role as an artist for a changing society? Editor: So he’s using this religious scene to also make a statement about the state of Rome, and maybe the role of the Church in his time. I didn't pick up on all that drama at first glance. Curator: It speaks to the complex interplay between artistic expression, cultural context, and the powerful institutions that shape both. Editor: Thanks. That has definitely opened my eyes. It is amazing what art tells you once you contextualize it!