Journey to the Center of the Earth 1864

Curator: Here we have Edouard Riou's engraving from 1864, entitled "Journey to the Center of the Earth," illustrating Jules Verne's novel. My immediate impression is the dynamism achieved through line work. The undulating waves, the turbulent sky… it’s all rendered with incredible energy. Editor: That turbulent sky is what struck me first as well! All those brooding clouds; it speaks volumes about the psychological state of venturing into the unknown. Note how even the distant sunlight is fractured and diffused. It projects a sense of looming mystery. Curator: Precisely. And consider how the artist uses the vertical lines of the rain, and horizontal lines across the ocean, to convey immense space. And it directs the viewer's eye to that strange line that goes out on the ocean towards the center in a non-logical way that makes you think if it is an intentional optical illusion to show us a fictional trip in its early times of romanticism. Editor: It is fascinating that this dark stream emerges out from the depths beneath the travelers boat! The symbolic language is striking; a direct visual manifestation of a subconscious journey, into places mankind does not know for sure that can even be accessed. That continuous form it may refer also to Ouroboros or a primitive, raw depiction of a spine. Curator: An astute observation regarding that stream. Now look at the texture of the waves as a counterpoint to the smoother surfaces elsewhere in the print. Note also the limited tonal range: It emphasizes form over naturalistic coloring, wouldn't you agree? It is the way Riou manages to create an impactful narrative out of its intrinsic parts! Editor: Indeed! And beyond pure aesthetic evaluation, consider that throughout history the waters have constantly acted as border/portal, separating known reality from a chaotic, unknown and dangerous one that promises enlightenment, self-discovery and maybe even destruction. So you would agree that water could be associated in this drawing as something related to unconscious desires? Curator: I would agree; and would venture to say the beauty in its pictorial and constructional components. Editor: Agreed, as this visual language communicates something beyond the depicted scene. A primal fear; also a primeval excitement about what our "inner oceans" conceal from us.