Vaas met figuren op een toneel c. 1870 - 1894

Gustave Joseph Chéret rendered this sketch of a vase with figures using pen in ink. The vase is decorated with a scene of figures on a stage. The vase in itself is an ancient form, used across cultures to carry various materials. The very shape of it becomes a symbol. The belly of the vase, swollen with potential. The stage depicted here is a proscenium, a frame through which we view the play of human life. The figures are dressed in classical garb. Their gestures are exaggerated, theatrical. The scene evokes the Commedia dell'arte, with its stock characters and improvisational spirit. Think of the Dionysian festivals of ancient Greece, or the medieval mystery plays. Even in our modern cinema, we seek to capture the raw emotions of tragedy and comedy, mirroring the joys and sorrows of human existence. The stage is a mirror, reflecting our collective unconscious. It is a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level. A cyclical progression that resurfaces, evolves, and takes on new meanings.