88. Une rue, à Rosette 1843

Editor: Here we have "Une rue, à Rosette" or "A Street in Rosetta," an etching from 1843 by Joseph-Philibert Girault de Prangey. The composition feels quite theatrical, almost like a stage set, doesn't it? What really stands out to you in this work? Curator: Ah, Rosetta! Or Rashid, as the locals call it. To me, this isn't just a depiction, it’s a portal. Imagine de Prangey, standing there with his early photographic equipment, capturing a moment in time that now feels so distant and yet so tangibly present because of his vision. The street almost seems to whisper secrets, doesn’t it? Editor: Definitely. And that minaret dominating the scene! Is there something significant about its placement? Curator: Think about it as a bridge between earth and sky, the secular and the sacred. The architecture, that stunning filigree of balconies and windows… It speaks to a different way of living, doesn't it? Less about privacy, more about community and seeing, being seen, you know? Editor: It really does make you feel like you're right there, experiencing it. I suppose that's why travel art was popular. Curator: Precisely. And de Prangey, being ahead of his time. It is an invitation to not just see, but also feel the cultural texture of Rosetta. It reminds me of my own travels… a camel ride in Rajasthan at sunset, drinking mint tea with nomads in the Sahara. You look, but in return the gaze pierces right through you. Tell me, if you could step into that street in Rosetta for a day, what would you seek? Editor: Oh, wow. I think I’d just want to sit and observe, soak in the daily life without intruding, like a silent observer. Curator: See? The art has done its work, transporting you into a shared dream across centuries! I learned again how much the exotic can enrich one's daily existence if one stops to think, and look.