Illustration X c. 16th century

Curator: Here we have "Illustration X," an intriguing print currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. The artist is anonymous, adding to its mystique. Editor: It's like a darkly whimsical dream, all those cages and figures crowded together. Makes you wonder what story is unfolding. Curator: Yes, and notice the figure of Circe, poised with her wand. In classical mythology, she transforms Odysseus’s men into swine. See the figures in cages with animal heads? Editor: Ah, the weight of transformation! Cages—literal and metaphorical. The terror and wonder of becoming something…other. Curator: Precisely! The artist captures the psychological horror of losing one's humanity, filtered through those potent, age-old symbols. Editor: It’s a potent reminder that some stories – and some fears – never really vanish. They just find new shapes to haunt us. Curator: Indeed, a fascinating look into the darker corners of our cultural memory. Editor: Makes me want to reread The Odyssey, and maybe double-check I haven't sprouted any bristles.