Lantaarn 1856 - 1897

This is Henri-Charles Guérard's print of a lantern. The stark simplicity of the lantern, rendered in delicate lines against the off-white paper, immediately draws our attention to its form and structure. The composition is deceptively straightforward. The lantern is centrally placed, its rectangular body and the handle above creating a vertical axis that dominates the space. Notice how Guérard uses line to define the lantern's shape, creating a sense of depth and volume, despite the limited tonal range. The vertical lines of the lantern's frame contrast with the horizontal bands, creating a structured, almost architectural feel. But what does this attention to form signify? In semiotic terms, the lantern can be seen as a signifier, its simple geometric structure imbued with cultural meanings. Historically, lanterns symbolize guidance, hope, and enlightenment. The print invites us to contemplate the interplay between form and meaning, between the object itself and the ideas and values it represents. Is it a celebration of functional design, or a meditation on the symbolic power of everyday objects?