Man of the day No.03° - Émile Ollivier 1870

This print of Émile Ollivier by James Tissot, published in 1870, presents us with an intriguing arrangement of symbolic weight. Here we see Ollivier laden with red briefcases, emblems of his political responsibilities, symbols of governance. Note how these crimson satchels, typically associated with the gravitas of state affairs, bear a striking resemblance to the liturgical red of cardinal robes or even the martyr's cloak. This recurring use of color across diverse spheres underscores its potent, almost primal, appeal. Think of the recurring motif of bound books or tablets across antiquity, representing knowledge and authority, yet also constraint. Consider how such symbols, repeated through history, seep into the collective consciousness, stirring emotions and influencing perceptions in ways we scarcely recognize. The weight of the world, the burden of authority, made manifest in these red cases, forever carried and reinterpreted.