The Ball of Fire (La boule de feu) from Hayterophilies 1986 

This etching, 'The Ball of Fire,' was created in 1986 by Pierre Alechinsky, and its core is the potent symbol of fire. Fire, historically, is a complex signifier. It represents destruction and purification, passion and danger. The 'ball' form evokes the sun, life's very source. Yet here, it's chaotic, explosive. We recall earlier depictions of flames as agents of divine will, such as the fiery destructions in Renaissance paintings, where fire heralds both doom and renewal. This image taps into our primal, almost subconscious understanding of fire's dual nature. Look at the swirling forms; they remind us of the 'Pathosformel,' those gestures of intense emotion seen across centuries of art. Fire's emotional punch still burns brightly here, a symbol resurrected with fresh vigor, reminding us of its eternal dance through human culture.