Massacre of the Innocents c. 19th century

Curator: Aurelio Colombo's "Massacre of the Innocents," in the Harvard Art Museums, presents a scene of appalling violence rendered with classical precision in a 31 x 45.6 cm plate. Editor: What strikes me immediately is the theatricality of it all—the exaggerated gestures, the hyper-muscular bodies. It's a tableau of suffering, yet strangely formalized. Curator: The composition evokes earlier depictions of this biblical scene, but Colombo imbues it with a distinct sense of Roman grandeur...note the architectural details in the background. Editor: Yes, but that grandeur clashes violently with the reality of infanticide. It raises questions about power, about whose stories get valorized through art. Who were Colombo's patrons, and what messages were they hoping to convey? Curator: It serves as a potent reminder of the enduring power of visual symbols to shape our understanding of history and morality. Editor: Absolutely, and how critical it is to keep unpacking and challenging those symbols in light of present-day struggles for social justice.