Latona c. 18th century

Editor: Here we have "Latona," an undated print by Remi Henri Joseph Delvaux, currently at the Harvard Art Museums. I'm struck by the stark contrast between the smooth figures and the densely hatched landscape. What do you observe about the composition? Curator: Indeed. The artist employs a classical structure, juxtaposing the idealized, almost ethereal figures of Latona and her children with the dynamic, even chaotic, depiction of the Lycian peasants being transformed. Observe how Delvaux uses contrasting lines to differentiate the divine from the mortal. Note how line and form underscore the narrative. Editor: So it’s less about the story and more about how the artist visually communicates it? I'm starting to see that. Curator: Precisely. The myth becomes secondary to the formal arrangement of shapes, lines, and textures within the pictorial space. Editor: I appreciate learning about the structural choices. I will look more closely at how artists build an image from line to narrative.