Illustration LXXXV c. 16th century

Curator: This is Illustration LXXXV, an anonymous artwork held in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: Immediately, I see an allegory of labor and leisure, a commentary perhaps on class distinctions through garden imagery. Curator: The piece is rendered with the precision of a woodcut, showcasing a garden scene dominated by a three-tiered fountain and a figure tending to flowers. I wonder about the symbolic weight of the fountain and the flowers. Editor: For me, the very intentional depiction of labor beside conspicuous consumption speaks volumes. The fountain feels like a symbol of excess, especially contrasted with the labor of tending the garden. Curator: Perhaps the fountain’s tiered structure is meant to invoke a kind of spiritual aspiration, a visual metaphor of ascent? It may reference the Garden of Eden. Editor: Or maybe, it’s simply a demonstration of power and wealth, a visual assertion of dominance over nature and people. Curator: Well, I find it refreshing to consider how this piece continues to spark such dynamic conversation centuries later. Editor: Absolutely. It reminds us that art remains a powerful tool for dissecting social stratifications.