Waarheid graveert de namen van vier componisten in een steen 1885

Henri Fantin-Latour created this lithograph, "Truth Engraves the Names of Four Composers in a Stone," in the late 19th century. It reflects the cultural reverence for classical music during this period, but also hints at how artistic legacies are constructed. Here, the allegorical figure of Truth, surrounded by cherubic figures, inscribes the names of composers Schumann, Berlioz, Wagner, and Brahms. The selection of these composers—and the exclusion of others—speaks volumes about the prevailing tastes and values of the time. Fantin-Latour seems to be saying something about the authority of the canon, and the role of cultural gatekeepers in shaping our understanding of artistic greatness. He was deeply involved in the artistic debates of his time, and this work feels like a personal statement, a stake in the ground. Consider the emotional weight of these choices. Whose voices are celebrated, and whose are silenced? How does the artist's own subjectivity play into this act of memorialization? The image invites us to reflect on how we assign value in the arts, and the power dynamics inherent in that process.