Sepulcrum trium Horatiorum c. 16th century

Curator: This is Hendrick van Cleve III’s “Sepulcrum trium Horatiorum,” an engraving in the collection of the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s strikingly pastoral, yet those imposing structures on the left hint at something more industrial, almost oppressive. Curator: Precisely. Van Cleve’s prints often depicted architectural fantasies and landscapes, reflecting the societal shifts toward urbanization and the evolving roles of labor. Notice the contrast between the grazing sheep and the figures driving livestock—each speaks to different economies. Editor: Right. We see the rural ideal juxtaposed with the realities of resource extraction and trade, mirrored in the tension between the supposed peace and prosperity and the control and perhaps even exploitation. It makes you wonder about class structures in this era. Curator: Indeed. This piece provides a rich lens through which to examine those dynamics. Editor: A powerful commentary disguised as bucolic scene. Curator: A study of form and purpose.