{"product_id":"monument-dedicated-to-posterity-in-memory-of-the-incredible-folly-of-1720-bernard-picart","title":"Monument Dedicated to Posterity in Memory of the Incredible Folly of 1720 - Bernard Picart","description":"\u003cp\u003eA detailed 1720 satirical etching by Bernard Picart documenting the financial collapse of the Mississippi Company bubble in Paris.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis etching by Bernard Picart serves as a visual record of the financial collapse surrounding the Mississippi Company bubble in 1720. The composition functions as a complex allegory, documenting the widespread economic mania that gripped France during this period. At the centre, a chariot driven by the figure of Fortune carries various investors and speculators, symbolising the precarious nature of the speculative market. The scene is crowded with figures representing different social classes, all caught in the frenzy of trading shares.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePicart employs a dense, narrative style typical of eighteenth-century satirical prints. The background includes specific architectural references, such as the Quincampoix street in Paris, where much of the trading occurred. Above the chaotic scene, a figure of Fame blows a trumpet, while other symbolic elements, including a devil and various allegorical figures, populate the space to comment on the moral failings of the speculators. The lower portion of the print contains extensive text, providing a detailed explanation of the imagery and the specific events of the financial crisis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTechnically, the work demonstrates the precision of Picart's engraving skills. The lines are fine and controlled, allowing for a high degree of detail in the facial expressions and the clutter of papers and coins scattered across the foreground. The print is part of a larger collection of satirical works documenting the South Sea Bubble and the Mississippi Scheme, which were widely circulated across Europe at the time. By combining historical documentation with biting social commentary, Picart captures the atmosphere of public desperation and greed. This piece remains a primary source for historians studying early modern economic history and the development of public satire in print media.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/portrait-of-charles-i-of-england-anthony-van-dyck\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePortrait of Charles I of England - Anthony van Dyck — Anthony van Dyck\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/pastoral-landscape-with-the-ponte-molle-claude-lorrain\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003ePastoral Landscape with the Ponte Molle - Claude Lorrain — Claude Lorrain\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Bernard Picart","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58357839331663,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58357871903055,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58357871935823,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58357871968591,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58357872001359,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58357872034127,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58357872066895,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58357872099663,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58357872132431,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58357872165199,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58357872197967,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58357872230735,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Monument-Dedicated-to-Posterity-in-Memory-of-the-Incredible-Folly-of-1720_Poster_CompositorV1_1785508800654.jpg?v=1785510693","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/monument-dedicated-to-posterity-in-memory-of-the-incredible-folly-of-1720-bernard-picart","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}