2-930-338 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Esquisse pour l'amphithéâtre de paléontologie du Museum d'histoire naturelle de Paris : les Races humaines (Plafond), 1897. Ceiling design: ascending spiral of the various races emerging from ancient times, advancing towards civilization and progress. A prehistoric family follows the procession of men in armour and riders who ascend towards a luminous sky. The journey towards "civilization and light" is led by the Aryan races. This vision, influenced by Wagnerian lyricism, embodies the colonial mindset.