The Treasure of Carcassonne 1928

"The Treasure of Carcassonne" is an illustration by Dorothy Lathrop, using ink, probably applied with a pen. It feels like a page lifted from a children’s adventure story! I imagine her making it, hunched over a table, meticulously inking in all those tiny little dots to build up the shadows. Like Seurat, but with narrative. The black and white contrast creates a sense of drama and mystery. Look at how the steps disappear into darkness, while the light from the candle flickers, making the space feel alive and charged. Those tiny figures nervously descending. What could they be looking for? It reminds me of Goya's etchings, where darkness becomes a character in itself. Lathrop's work highlights how illustration can be just as powerful as painting in its ability to evoke emotion and tell stories. It's a reminder that artists, no matter their medium, are always borrowing from and responding to one another across time.