Galatea (?) 1504 - 1514

Editor: So, this is Pinturicchio's "Galatea (?)," dating back to somewhere between 1504 and 1514. It's an oil painting housed at the Met. I’m really struck by the muted tones and how the figures seem to almost float. What initially captures your attention in this piece? Curator: You know, it’s funny, "float" is exactly the word I’d use too. It’s like stepping into a dream. Look at the almost fantastical creatures in the sea – part horse, part dolphin… utterly enchanting. This panel hints at the grandeur of Renaissance decoration. This piece might have once been part of furniture, imagine that! Now, what does it evoke in *you*? A story? A feeling? Editor: Definitely a story! It feels very mythological, a little like Neptune with the seahorse but the Cupid feels displaced somehow, which leaves an uneasy and slightly unbalanced impression... Curator: Ah, the disquieting Cupid! Exactly. Think about what Pinturicchio does here - he plays with our expectations. He throws a known story slightly off axis. Now, how does knowing it might have decorated furniture shift your interpretation, if at all? Does that change how we think about "high" art? Editor: That really makes me think about art's purpose then versus now... Back then it had everyday function and the images must have triggered lots of conversations! Thank you, this gave me so much to think about. Curator: Indeed, and now hopefully you’ll be triggering conversations too. Art history isn't about dry facts, it’s about breathing life into these silent stories, and seeing where they lead *us*.