De opstijging van Tom 1876 - 1890

Editor: So, this is "The Ascent of Tom," a lithograph print made sometime between 1876 and 1890 by Michelet. It’s presented almost like a page from a comic book, and feels satirical. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, looking at the imagery, it's fascinating how this sequence of panels evokes the myth of Icarus. The ascent, the inevitable fall... it's all there. This narrative is so rooted in the human psyche; the aspiration to rise above our limitations, yet always being brought back down by reality. Editor: Oh, that’s a compelling take! I hadn't thought of it that way. Curator: Think about the balloon itself. Balloons are traditionally symbols of celebration and childhood innocence, but here, it becomes an instrument of hubris. How does that alteration of a simple object affect its symbolic power? Editor: I suppose it gives the whole thing a much darker tone. What begins as lighthearted becomes a cautionary tale. But then there’s the military figure in the later panels; how does that fit? Curator: Ah, a figure of authority! And a stern one. Is it meant to satirize authority's inevitable disappointment, as dreams inevitably come crashing down? I wonder, what did this visual narrative tell viewers about the era's values, anxieties, or collective imagination? Editor: It’s like the piece is layered with symbols that speak to the follies of ambition, but also perhaps the rigidity of society. Curator: Exactly! Visual stories like these provide windows into the collective subconscious. It highlights what they valued, what scared them, and how they dealt with their own inherent limitations. It speaks volumes. Editor: This piece, at first glance seemingly simple, has layers of historical and cultural symbolism. I see so much more now. Curator: Precisely! That interplay between visual narrative and cultural memory is always powerful to witness.