Frieze of Acanthus Scroll with Putti, Animals and Birds c. 16th century

Curator: Here we have a drawing at the Harvard Art Museums, "Frieze of Acanthus Scroll with Putti, Animals and Birds" by Giulio Romano, an Italian artist who died in 1546. The medium is pen and brown ink. Editor: It's such an energetic sketch! All these intertwining figures – putti, beasts, foliage – it feels like controlled chaos. Curator: Yes, Romano was known for his dynamism. The drawing likely served as a design for a larger work, perhaps a fresco or relief. Note the intricate acanthus leaves; they showcase the luxury these objects were meant to evoke, and consider the labor required to transfer this drawing's detail to another surface. Editor: The putti, of course, represent innocence and playfulness, but coupled with these fantastical beasts, and even what appear to be hunting dogs, I sense an underlying tension between the idyllic and the untamed. Curator: A tension very much present in the material culture of the time. This was art intended for the upper classes, who could afford to curate displays of manufactured wildness. Editor: It makes you wonder what symbolic narratives were at play here. Curator: Indeed, and considering its function as a precursor, the end result and its intended audience become equally important. Editor: I find I am still drawn to the energy first and foremost. Thank you for illuminating the layers beneath.