Aeneas Saving Anchises c. 17th century

Editor: This is Ludolph Büsinck's "Aeneas Saving Anchises," an intaglio print at the Harvard Art Museums. It's a really striking image of a man carrying another man, with a child pulling at his leg. What do you see in this piece, beyond the immediate narrative? Curator: It powerfully evokes themes of intergenerational trauma and resilience in the face of conflict. We need to consider the sociopolitical context in which this image resonates. Who is being saved, and at what cost to those left behind? Editor: So, you're saying it's less about heroism and more about the complex realities of displacement? Curator: Precisely. It prompts questions about the burden of history, the negotiation of identity amidst crisis, and whose stories get told, and how. Editor: I see that now; it definitely gives me a lot to think about.