Silenus and Fauns c. 1826

Editor: This is "Silenus and Fauns," a pen and ink sketch by Washington Allston. It feels really light and energetic. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The beauty lies in its incompleteness, doesn't it? Allston captures a fleeting moment of Bacchanalian revelry. Silenus, the drunken tutor of Dionysus, is almost collapsing. Do you see how the fauns struggle to support him? It speaks to the temporary nature of joy, wouldn't you agree? Editor: That's a cool way to look at it. I was just seeing a party scene! Curator: Art has a funny way of showing you things, doesn't it? I think it reflects on mortality, not just a party. Editor: I can see that now. I appreciate that it's more nuanced than I thought at first glance.