Elephant of the Bastille c. 19th century

Curator: This is Frédéric Bouchot's "Elephant of the Bastille," which depicts a monument that was planned but never fully realized. My first impression is one of melancholic absurdity, this grand idea now crumbling and overrun. Editor: I see the critique of unrealized ambitions. The elephant, intended as a symbol of strength, becomes a habitat for rats. What does this say about the legacy of revolutions and the promise of progress? Curator: Precisely! The image speaks to the failure to meet the needs of the populace, doesn't it? The rats symbolize the marginalized. Editor: The rats feel like a pointed comment on societal decay and the abandonment of revolutionary ideals, making a potent statement about power and its failures. Curator: Absolutely, and this artwork prompts us to consider the socio-political climate and its impact on the collective memory. Editor: Indeed, this artwork asks us to reflect on how ambitious projects can become symbols of societal failure.