"Prediction of Nostradamus" from The Complete Works of Béranger 1829

Auguste Raffet created this lithograph titled "Prediction of Nostradamus", and the composition is rich with symbols steeped in cultural memory. Note the imposing eagle at the top, a figure that has flown through empires, from Roman legions to modern nation-states, embodying power and vision. Here, it looms over a scene where Nostradamus receives divine insight, his gesture echoing that of ancient oracles. Below, discarded regalia—a crown, a scepter—lie as emblems of fallen authority, a theme resonating with the cyclical nature of history, reminding us of the transience of earthly power, echoing similar motifs found in Renaissance vanitas paintings that remind us of our mortality. This imagery is a mirror reflecting humanity's persistent fascination with destiny and the inevitable decline that shadows every rise to glory. Consider how such symbols tap into our collective subconscious, evoking not just historical understanding but a primal sense of fate.