Fire 1743 - 1753

Jean Daullé created this print titled "Fire", now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, using engraving techniques to evoke both texture and form. Notice how the composition is structured within a circular frame, immediately drawing your eye to the playful arrangement of cherubs. Daullé masterfully uses line and shading to create a sense of depth, making the figures almost leap off the page. The cherubs, symbols of love and passion, are captured in dynamic poses that suggest movement and energy. Their chubby forms and mischievous expressions hint at the volatile nature of fire, a force both creative and destructive. The print functions as a semiotic system, where cherubs symbolize desire. Daullé's formal choices—the rounded frame, the soft shading, and the dynamic composition—all work together to communicate the complex idea of fire as an elemental force. It is an artwork that invites us to consider how visual forms can convey deep philosophical meanings, recognizing art as an ongoing dialogue between artist, artwork, and viewer.