Façade van de Opéra Garnier, Parijs 1887 - 1900

This photograph captures the façade of the Opéra Garnier in Paris. Crowning the opera house, the winged figures evoke the ancient Greek goddess Nike, a symbol of victory. Such figures are not merely decorative; they tap into a deep well of human emotion and collective memory. We find echoes of Nike in the Roman goddess Victoria and even further back in Mesopotamian deities. Each iteration carries the weight of triumph and aspiration, resonating with audiences across millennia. Consider, for example, how the statue of the Angel of Victory in Berlin's Victory Column adopts a similar pose, commemorating Prussian military victories. The persistence of this symbol, though adapted to new contexts, reveals our enduring psychological need to visualize and celebrate triumph. The figures atop the Opéra Garnier therefore remind us of the cyclical nature of history, where symbols are reborn, carrying forward the hopes and fears of past generations.