Standing Bull Facing Left c. 16th century

Editor: This is Antonio Tempesta’s "Standing Bull Facing Left." It's at the Harvard Art Museums, and I’m immediately struck by how…sturdy he looks, like he’s been carved from stone. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Sturdy, yes! But also…isolated? That stark line work against the pale paper makes me think of, I don’t know, a memory, or a dream. He’s powerful, but somehow fragile, caught in this little rectangle. I wonder what Tempesta was thinking? Editor: Fragile, that’s interesting. It almost makes me think of climate change and the vulnerability of animal species today. Curator: Precisely! Art speaks across centuries in unexpected ways. It’s like a visual echo chamber, don’t you think? Editor: Definitely something to ponder!