The Capture of Troy: Act III, The Apparition of Hector, from Hector Berlioz's Opera "The Capture of Troy (1855-58)" 1888

Henri Fantin-Latour created this lithograph, "The Capture of Troy: Act III, The Apparition of Hector," inspired by Hector Berlioz's opera in the mid-19th century. This was a period marked by burgeoning nationalism and a fascination with classical antiquity. Here, we see a scene steeped in both personal grief and historic fate. A figure is startled from his rest by the ghost of Hector. This apparition is not merely a supernatural event, but a call to duty and a lament for lost glory. Fantin-Latour, working within a society that often confined artists to traditional subjects, uses the mythological to explore themes of loss and remembrance. As we contemplate this image, we might reflect on how history, memory, and personal experience intersect to shape our understanding of the world.