Atlas/ Cover of sheet music c. 19th century

Editor: This is Frédéric Sorrieu's "Atlas," a sheet music cover from the 19th century. The lithograph depicts a man in what appears to be a prison cell, and it evokes a feeling of confinement and struggle. What do you make of this image? Curator: Isn't it fascinating? Sorrieu often used allegory, so is this Atlas burdened physically, or perhaps by societal constraints of the time, like political turmoil? Notice how the light seems to shine *on* him, but *from* the prison, drawing our eye to the figure's struggle. Editor: That’s a good point, and it makes me think about the title in a new way. Curator: Exactly! It transforms the sheet music into something far more potent, doesn't it? I hadn't considered the light this way until now!