The Birth of the Juste Milieu 1832

Curator: Eugéne Hippolyte Forest created this lithograph, "The Birth of the Juste Milieu," and it resides at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: Oh, my! What a chaotic scene—it feels like a fever dream of revolution and bureaucracy, rendered in exquisitely detailed monochrome. Curator: "Juste Milieu" translates to "the happy medium" or "the golden mean," a political philosophy favoring moderation. The image critiques the birth of this idea after the 1830 revolution. Editor: So, the fainting woman is Liberty? And who is that man holding up the baby, giving it a rather rough start in life? Curator: That is a depiction of a political figure imposing the "Juste Milieu" on the newborn Liberty, forcing moderation. A rooster crows at the left, a symbol of France, perhaps questioning this constrained freedom. Editor: A rooster's crow of doubt... I love that! There's so much going on; it’s a brilliant, biting commentary, even now. Curator: Indeed, the symbolism captures the complexities and contradictions inherent in trying to find that "middle ground." Editor: It’s fascinating how relevant this feels. It’s a good reminder to question what's really going on when someone says they’re offering the "moderate" solution.