Aankondigingsbiljet van een ballet 1824 - 1892

Charles Rochussen created this announcement poster for a ballet using pen lithography. The lithograph captures a scene dominated by a central figure of a wizard looming over a prone man, set against a backdrop of ethereal dancers. Notice how the composition is structured around a clear contrast between the solid, grounded figure of the man and the fluid, dreamlike quality of the figures floating above. Rochussen uses light and shadow to create a sense of depth, drawing the eye upward. The man and wizard might be understood through semiotics: in this context, the wizard symbolizes power and mystery, while the man represents vulnerability and the unknown. The ethereal dancers hint at themes of fantasy, desire, and transformation, typical of ballet. Through a masterful arrangement of form, Rochussen crafts a work that invites us to explore the interplay between reality and imagination, power and submission, thus, the image functions as a window into the cultural fantasies of the time.