Centenary of Hector Berlioz 1903

Henri Fantin-Latour made this lithograph to mark the centenary of Hector Berlioz in December 1903. It's all about swirling lines, hatched together to create depth and shadow, a real testament to the power of process. Check out the way he renders the figures floating around the bust of Berlioz – they seem almost like they're made of air, or smoke. The texture is really interesting, isn't it? It's like he's scratching the surface of the stone to let the light through. The way the light catches the edge of the bust is especially striking, it really gives it a sense of solidity. Then there are the wings of the angel blowing the trumpet, they are just these scribbled forms, somehow it all comes together. Fantin-Latour was known for his flower paintings, but he also did a lot of these kinds of commemorative works. They remind me a bit of Odilon Redon, who was working around the same time and also using lithography to create these dreamlike, symbolic images.