Aurora and Cephale 1821

Editor: This is François Forster's "Aurora and Cephale," currently at the Harvard Art Museums. It looks like an etching, and I'm struck by the dreamlike quality. What symbols do you see at play here? Curator: Note how Aurora, goddess of dawn, literally unveils the day, lifting a veil of stars above the sleeping Cephale. Her crown of flowers connects her to cyclical renewal. The winged Cupid represents desire, forever youthful. It's a potent image of transformation. Editor: Transformation, yes! Do you think it’s about more than just the dawn? Curator: Absolutely. Dawn symbolizes hope, new beginnings. But consider the darker side: Aurora's unrequited love for Cephale. The image holds both promise and the bittersweet ache of longing, a duality embedded in the very fabric of the day's arrival. Editor: So, it's about the complex emotions tied to beginnings and endings. Thanks, that gives me a lot to consider.