Men's thoughts are foolish dreams c. 18th century

Curator: This is Francesco Bartolozzi's etching, "Men's thoughts are foolish dreams," from the late 18th century, held here at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It has such a melancholic air, doesn't it? That broken tree, the solitary figure reading beneath it... almost a stage for introspection. Curator: Indeed. Bartolozzi was a key figure in disseminating Neoclassical aesthetics, yet this piece seems to hint at the emerging Romantic sensibility, contrasting idyllic nature with human transience. Editor: Notice how he positions the reader. The vessel beside him, perhaps suggesting the body as a container, the book a portal, together symbolizing the mind occupied by dreams. Curator: And the landscape—a gentle slope leading to a distant citadel—could represent the allure and ultimately unreachable nature of ambition and worldly pursuits. Editor: It's a lovely depiction of humanity's perpetual quest for meaning amidst nature's enduring presence. Curator: Bartolozzi presents us with a dreamscape that remains relevant even today.