Lélio; The Aeolian Harp 1888

Henri Fantin-Latour made this lithograph, Lélio; The Aeolian Harp, in nineteenth-century France. It depicts a male figure sitting beneath a tree with an ethereal, almost ghostly, female figure floating in the background. Fantin-Latour was deeply involved in the artistic and intellectual circles of his time, particularly those who championed romantic music and literature. He participated in exhibitions held at the Paris Salon. However, he was also involved in the Salon des Refusés, where works rejected by the official Salon were displayed. This print reflects the Symbolist movement's interest in exploring psychological states and dreamlike imagery. The Aeolian Harp is a symbol of the connection between nature, music, and the human soul, with a solitary figure representing the artist or poet, inspired by a muse. To understand this print fully, we can research the cultural context of 19th-century France, including the art criticism of the Paris Salon. By looking at the social and institutional context of the time, we can start to appreciate this print and the cultural moment that produced it.