Duet of the Trojans, sixth plate 1894

Henri Fantin-Latour made this lithograph, Duet of the Trojans, sometime in the late 19th century. It illustrates a scene from Berlioz's opera, "Les Troyens," itself based on Virgil's "Aeneid." In the print, we see the lovers Dido and Aeneas nestled in an embrace, surrounded by lush vegetation. Fantin-Latour was deeply involved in the cultural world of Paris. His lithographs were often inspired by the popular operas and musical compositions of his time. We could say that Wagner and Berlioz played as large a role in influencing the artistic imagination as did any visual event or encounter. What is interesting here is that the world of music was not traditionally considered part of the fine art world, but rather the world of popular entertainment. Fantin-Latour sought to elevate music to the level of high art through his prints. This was part of a larger project to break down the traditional hierarchies of art and culture. To understand this print better, it helps to research the history of opera in 19th-century France and the networks of artists, writers, and musicians who were challenging traditional artistic boundaries. The role of the historian is to situate art within the cultural contexts in which it was made and consumed, revealing its complex relationship to society.