Titus threatening Pomponius 

Curator: I’m struck immediately by the dynamism in this image. The linework crackles with a certain nervous energy. Editor: Yes, the hand of John Leech! This is a pen illustration, likely for a satirical publication given its dramatic nature. While its exact date is unknown, the piece is titled "Titus threatening Pomponius," offering a glimpse into Roman power dynamics, portrayed with heavy lines. Curator: I love how the lines accentuate the figures’ faces—Titus’s stern brow, Pomponius’s worried gaze. They almost feel like caricatures embodying archetypal reactions to power. The image seems to evoke fear through both direct visual cues such as a sword but also more oblique emotional reactions and interpersonal tensions. Editor: Absolutely. And observe how Leech frames the scene, placing Titus, with his raised sword, center-stage. Symbolically, the bedridden Pomponius on the side seems to shrink away and physically emphasize Titus's commanding presence through negative space. It is all a fascinatingly staged encounter, speaking volumes about the fragility of authority and security in a given social structure. The lines might seem simplistic to some, but that is by design and lends to a visual clarity needed for political and social satire. Curator: The draped toga also adds another layer. Beyond clothing, such apparel signifies Roman identity and political power, something deliberately weaponized as part of a threat, and amplified by a raised sword. I cannot help but also consider our modern political spectacles where dress codes play a signaling function—this resonates through time! Editor: That's it exactly, how quickly symbols ossify into power structures. I'm certain Victorian viewers immediately recognized that element. This sketch, born from social and political observations, prompts reflections on political history. I have to admit the lack of date and known context almost aids this. Curator: Well put. For me it’s also the image's enduring potency and insight into human reactions to looming authoritarian violence, both in the past and today, that makes the illustration such a significant cultural artifact. Editor: Yes, despite the simple linework of this pen illustration. Thanks to such effective economical choices, John Leech prompts us toward some serious thought.