The Fall of Jericho c. 16th century

Curator: Well, this is Antonio Tempesta's "The Fall of Jericho," and right away, the chaos just leaps out! It’s like a swirling storm of bodies and crumbling walls. Editor: It's fascinating how Tempesta uses etching to create such intense detail. You can practically feel the weight of those soldiers and the force of the collapse. The labor involved in creating this matrix must have been significant. Curator: Exactly! It reminds me of the stories we tell ourselves, the narratives that rise and crumble, just like Jericho's walls. There is a story in those lines isn't there? Editor: It also raises questions about the consumption of images like these. Were they meant to glorify war, or were they serving as warnings? Curator: Perhaps both! A little glory, a little dread—the human condition in a nutshell. I always think that his works suggest a wider truth to the viewer. Editor: And the materials themselves, the paper, the ink, they all carry a social and economic history. This artwork becomes a physical manifestation of power relations. Curator: I think it is a beautiful capture of an historical event and I am glad that we got to share it with everyone. Editor: This definitely provokes thoughts about the making and unmaking of history itself.