Decoration XIII c. 16th century

Editor: This is Decoration XIII, an undated print by an anonymous artist, housed here at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s incredibly detailed, like a fever dream from antiquity, but somehow also orderly. What do you make of it? Curator: It’s like a cabinet of curiosities rendered in line! See how the artist layers classical motifs – sphinxes, chariots, reclining figures – into a playful, almost theatrical composition. It whispers of Renaissance fascination with antiquity, doesn't it? Editor: It does! I was so caught up in the details, I missed the bigger picture. Thanks! Curator: And I was lost in the big picture, so thanks for pointing out the details!