The Statue of Jupiter at Olympia 1572

Curator: This print, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums, depicts The Statue of Jupiter at Olympia. Its creator is anonymous. Editor: It’s such a striking image—the sheer scale of the statue set against the flurry of activity at its base gives the scene a dramatic, almost chaotic energy. Curator: The statue itself would have been constructed from ivory and gold, the materials alone indicating immense power and privilege. It’s impossible to separate this image from the history of colonization and exploitation inherent to such a display. Editor: Right, the means of acquiring those materials, the labor involved... it all speaks to the socio-economic realities that made such a monument possible, and to the Roman obsession with grandeur. The emphasis on the body, the idealized musculature of both the statue and the figures below, is also striking. Curator: And yet, beyond the obvious power dynamics, I'm also thinking about the cultural context. It's difficult to not read the subtext of the violence that accompanies the celebration of athletic prowess. Editor: Absolutely, it's a constant negotiation of materials, labor, and the narratives we impose upon them. Curator: It certainly makes you reflect on the layers of meaning embedded within this image.