George Roux's 'The Chase of the Golden Meteor' — Crowd Witnesses Cosmic Impact — art by George Roux — The Chase of the Golden Meteor — 1900s
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George Roux's 'The Chase of the Golden Meteor' — Crowd Witnesses Cosmic Impact

A blazing celestial object has just struck the sea, unleashing a blinding eruption of light that silhouettes a panicked crowd of onlookers scrambling across jagged coastal rocks. Some shield their eyes, others brace against the shockwave of the impact — all frozen in awe and terror at the incandescent fireball boiling the clouds above the water's surface. This dramatic scene captures Jules Verne's cosmic thriller at its most electrifying: the moment a golden meteor crashes into the Earth.

Source: Wikimedia Commons
Artist: George Roux
Publisher: Hetzel
Decade: 1900s
Country: France
Coolness: 6/10

Oh man, Roux absolutely nails that Vernian sense of cosmic dread — look at those silhouettes clawing at their faces while the sky literally catches fire! It's not gonzo pulp madness, but for a late Victorian book plate it's got tremendous theatrical punch.

Text in image:

G.Roux

Public domain. This vintage illustration is free of known copyright restrictions — free to download, share, and reuse for any purpose.

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