Images of the Earth, Images of Man
69
et que peut-on se proposer de mieux dans l’histoire de ces êtres, que de se soumettre
à cette considération? Pourquoi n’introduirons-nous pas l’homme dans notre
ouvrage, comme il est placé dans l’univers? Pourquoi n’en ferons-nous pas un centre
commun? Est-il dans l’espace infini quelque point d’où nous puissions, avec plus
d’avantage, faire partir les lignes immenses que nous nous proposons d’étendre à
tous les autres points? (“ENCYCLOPÉDIE”, V, 641
r
)
When considered in the light of their related articles, the human figures of the plates function as the visual correlative of the articles’ authors; their presence palpable to differing extents in different
plates and articles, both the authors and the figures in the foreground
of the images serve to frame and contextualize the subject, and to direct the reader’s attention to salient points of interest. Thus, in one of
the plates on volcanic eruptions (fig. 3), the human figures are a central element in the circular movement of the image. Their pointing
hands direct the viewer’s gaze to the centre of the eruption, and the
lava flow which emanated from it curves down and around to the human figure, which begin the circle again. Although dwarfed by the
volcanoes’ eruptions, and seemingly extraneous to the drama of the
Fig. 6
69
et que peut-on se proposer de mieux dans l’histoire de ces êtres, que de se soumettre
à cette considération? Pourquoi n’introduirons-nous pas l’homme dans notre
ouvrage, comme il est placé dans l’univers? Pourquoi n’en ferons-nous pas un centre
commun? Est-il dans l’espace infini quelque point d’où nous puissions, avec plus
d’avantage, faire partir les lignes immenses que nous nous proposons d’étendre à
tous les autres points? (“ENCYCLOPÉDIE”, V, 641
r
)
When considered in the light of their related articles, the human figures of the plates function as the visual correlative of the articles’ authors; their presence palpable to differing extents in different
plates and articles, both the authors and the figures in the foreground
of the images serve to frame and contextualize the subject, and to direct the reader’s attention to salient points of interest. Thus, in one of
the plates on volcanic eruptions (fig. 3), the human figures are a central element in the circular movement of the image. Their pointing
hands direct the viewer’s gaze to the centre of the eruption, and the
lava flow which emanated from it curves down and around to the human figure, which begin the circle again. Although dwarfed by the
volcanoes’ eruptions, and seemingly extraneous to the drama of the
Fig. 6