Conference with St John 1807

Curator: John Flaxman's "Conference with St John" is such a striking image! The linear style, almost like a minimalist etching, gives it an ethereal quality. Editor: Yes, it feels quite austere. The figures, rendered in such sparse detail, seem almost like spectral projections against that backdrop. Curator: It's based on Dante's Divine Comedy; we see Dante and Beatrice meeting St. John and other holy figures. The simplicity, I think, evokes the otherworldly realm they inhabit. What do you feel it suggests? Editor: I'm interested in what is unsaid here. The weight of religious authority, the limited scope for questioning, perhaps. The visual language emphasizes power dynamics. Curator: Perhaps, but I also see a genuine longing for connection, a desire for understanding. Editor: I appreciate how this work uses familiar imagery to interrogate themes of faith and knowledge. Curator: It leaves you with a lot to ponder, doesn't it? Editor: Indeed. It makes you consider the stories we are telling and the voices that go unheard.