The Night Review 1837

Curator: This is Auguste Raffet's "The Night Review," held in the collections of the Harvard Art Museums. It's a print, an impression of which we see here. Editor: It’s somber, almost spectral. That mass of soldiers… it feels like a haunted landscape, with the looming moon overhead. Curator: Raffet was known for his lithographs depicting military life. It's interesting to think about how the labor of producing these prints made imagery of military power accessible. Editor: The repeated figure of the soldier, almost like a motif, could symbolize their interchangeability in service to a greater cause. Death, patriotism, and the cost of war—heavy themes. Curator: And how this medium democratizes the image, allowing wider consumption, subtly shaping public opinion about war and nation. Editor: I see the echoes of grand narratives about heroism, but also the quiet dread of what lies beneath. Raffet presents a loaded statement. Curator: Absolutely. It’s a potent combination of material accessibility and evocative imagery, still resonant today. Editor: A chilling glimpse into the power of symbols and the shadow they cast.