The child fell, lingered a moment on the surface, and was engulfed by the torrent c. 18th century

Curator: Oh, the starkness of it! This print by Jacques Joseph Coiny… the way he's captured that instant of dreadful realization, it's breathtaking. Editor: It’s the cross-hatching that gets me – look at the density used to depict that torrent! The labor involved in creating such a detailed image through engraving… it speaks volumes about the value placed on visual storytelling at the time. What is the story being told? Curator: It illustrates a scene from Voltaire's Zadig, "The child fell, lingered a moment on the surface, and was engulfed by the torrent." Tragedy unfolds in a blink, doesn't it? The figures on the collapsing bridge seem helpless, their garments practically screaming in the wind. Editor: And note the composition! The bridge is crumbling, and the architecture is failing… a clear indication that materials will always erode under pressure of human activity. Curator: It's a potent reminder of life's fragility, isn't it? We're all just one misstep away from being swept away by the current. Editor: Indeed, and the choices involved in production, from the metal plate to the final impression, contribute to the work's enduring power.