Sistine Madonna c. 19th century

Curator: Looking at Tosetti's "Sistine Madonna" here at Harvard, I immediately feel a sense of awe—it's a bit faded, perhaps, but still so heavenly. Editor: It’s striking, isn’t it? You can almost feel the weight of the paper, the labor etched into each line. It's all about the process, really. How many hands touched this to bring it into being? Curator: You’re right, there's a tactile quality to it, even reproduced like this. It makes me think about the original painting—the Madonna's gaze, so full of concern, almost like she's seen too much already. The cherubs, those darling cherubs, feel so very real! Editor: Well, the paper itself would have been a valuable commodity back then, its production linked to specific industries. And think about the ink, where it came from, the skills needed to engrave those delicate lines so precisely! Curator: It’s funny, isn’t it? How something intended to elevate us can also ground us in the material world. Editor: Exactly. It’s the tension between the earthly and the divine, reflected in both subject and means of production. Curator: I'll never look at a cherub the same way again! Editor: Precisely my intention.