The Balloon Flight of Jacques Charles over the Place de la Concorde c. 1783

Editor: So, this painting, "The Balloon Flight of Jacques Charles over the Place de la Concorde," thought to be by Pierre Antoine de Machy from around 1783, it's such a fascinating landscape. It’s neat to see that this momentous event is captured in such detail; the people along the shoreline look like excited little ants observing the balloon lifting off into the wild sky. But overall, the mood strikes me as strangely…calm. What strikes you about it? Curator: Calm, huh? That's interesting. I see a kind of controlled exuberance. The balloon, this audacious symbol of human ingenuity, drifts serenely upwards – doesn’t it feel a bit…lonely, somehow? The neat rows of buildings and the orderly crowds hint at Neoclassicism, yet the event itself – humanity conquering the sky! – feels gloriously Romantic. Almost a playful contradiction. And notice how small we are. How does it feel that the whole of humanity present appears miniscule at the edge of our field of vision? Editor: That's a brilliant point! The "controlled exuberance" makes sense, with Neoclassicism acting as a visual restraint on the thrill of Romanticism. The figures do seem so tiny and powerless within the broad scope of nature, especially within the grand cityscape. Curator: And consider the palette, those muted blues and greens. It feels more like a dream than a news report, doesn’t it? Almost as if de Machy is saying: “This is history, but it's also a marvel.” Are you seeing now, how that lonely balloon creates this contrast between the intimate moment and an important cultural and science step to change humanity and their way of travel forever? Editor: I get it! It is more than just an historical record; it is humanity pushing the boundary! Seeing this now, I now appreciate the contrast a lot more; it certainly leaves much to contemplate on how one event may trigger several changes, a step toward humanity to make us reach the sky! Curator: Absolutely. And for me, that quiet sense of wonder is exactly what makes it such a timeless piece. It allows one to drift in awe for all the achievement mankind has reached until today!