Jupiter, Disguised as Diana, Makes Love to Calisto 1759

Curator: Here we have Jean Daullé’s engraving, "Jupiter, Disguised as Diana, Makes Love to Calisto," currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. I find it rather… audacious. What’s your take? Editor: Intricate. Dense, really. Look at the labor involved in creating all those fine lines to capture the light and shadow. It speaks to a culture that valued precise craftsmanship, wouldn’t you say? Curator: Absolutely, the technical skill is undeniable. But to me, it's the way Daullé captures the deceit and sensuality of the myth that really grabs me. The cherubs seem to know something’s up, don't they? Editor: Deceit and sensuality, of course, were marketable commodities. I'm struck by the production process. Each print would have been identical, democratizing the scene for a wider audience. Curator: Yes, mass production of a scandalous scene… fascinating! I see a certain tension between private pleasure and public display. Editor: A tension inherent in the material conditions of art itself. It's been a worthwhile detour. Curator: Indeed, it has, leaving one to ponder the nature of power and desire as it permeates through history and art.