The Holy Family 1577

Curator: This is Diana Scultori’s “The Holy Family,” housed right here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: The texture is arresting—a flurry of cross-hatching gives the scene such depth. There's almost a vibrant quality despite the monochrome. Curator: Scultori was a pioneering female printmaker in 16th-century Italy. Her work provides an interesting lens through which to consider the artistic limitations and opportunities afforded to women. Editor: The composition leads my eye from the figures in the foreground to the architectural structures behind. Note how the artist used contrasting horizontal and vertical lines. Curator: Indeed, and I find it compelling how Scultori reimagines the traditionally opulent Holy Family narrative within a framework marked by visible labor and perhaps even poverty. Editor: The stark rendering certainly deviates from idealized portrayals of the era, creating a sense of intimate observation. Curator: Yes, this artwork invites us to consider broader questions about family, labor, and representation during the Renaissance and today. Editor: I’m struck by how the technical skill complements the humanist elements.