Belvedere Antinous and Giustiniani Minerva c. 17th century

Editor: Here we have "Belvedere Antinous and Giustiniani Minerva," a drawing of unknown date by an anonymous artist. The figures feel so light, almost like ghosts rising from the page. What's your take on these classical figures? Curator: It makes me think about how artists throughout time have grappled with the legacy of the classical world, right? Copying these statues was a way of absorbing that history, like osmosis. It’s also a little sad, isn't it? Those statues, once vibrant with meaning, are now just outlines, shadows. Editor: Shadows of giants, maybe? I never thought about the act of copying as an interpretation itself. Curator: Exactly! It's a form of translation, a dialogue across centuries. Editor: That really shifts my perspective; thank you.