Translation de Voltaire au Panthéon Français 1817

This print, "Translation de Voltaire au Panthéon Français," was made by Simon Charles Miger. The printmaking process, specifically engraving, is critical to understanding its cultural function. Engraving allowed for the wide distribution of images, transforming events into accessible narratives. It involves a laborious process of incising an image onto a metal plate, inking it, and then transferring the image to paper. The precision required speaks to a skilled artisan class, whose labor supported the dissemination of Enlightenment ideals. This print captures the pomp and circumstance of Voltaire's remains being moved to the Panthéon. Engraving facilitated the spread of revolutionary ideas, turning Voltaire's "translation" into a widely consumed spectacle. The fine lines and tonal gradations achieved through engraving elevate the event, linking it to the broader political and social transformations of the time. By focusing on the making, we see how craft and the mechanics of reproduction played a role in shaping public opinion during a period of immense social change.