Out Of Reach Collection

Miss Apricot-Cloud, 1908. Creator: Helen Hyde
Miss Apricot-Cloud, 1908

Girl climbing for last apples (chromolitho)
2811585 Girl climbing for last apples (chromolitho) by Edwards, Mary Ellen (1838-1934); Private Collection; (add.info.: Girl climbing for last apples)

In Morocco. Illustration for Le Rire (colour litho)
2786448 In Morocco. Illustration for Le Rire (colour litho) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: In Morocco. Satire on Franco-German tensions over Morocco)

The Poorly Defended Rose (colour litho)
CHT207475 The Poorly Defended Rose (colour litho) by Debucourt, Philibert Louis (1755-1832); Private Collection; eArchives Charmet; French, out of copyright

Victorian satire on temptation, overindulgence and greed, 19th Century
Vintage engraving of a Victorian satire on temptation, overindulgence and greed, 19th Century. We soon forget our present gain, And sigh for what we can t obtain

Tantalus torment, 1733. Artist: Bernard Picart
Tantalus torment, 1733. A plate from Le temple des Muses, Amsterdam, 1733. Found in the collection of Jean Claude Carriere

A Nymph Playing with Cupid, 1857. Artist: Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
A Nymph Playing with Cupid, 1857. From the collection of the Musee d Orsay, Paris, France

American black bear cub (Ursus americanus) standing upright, arms in the air

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Miss Apricot-Cloud, longing for the out-of-reach fruit, echoes the timeless tale of desire and temptation, as depicted in Helen Hyde's 1908 illustration. From the Coles Phillips Girl in her Butterfly Chase, to the Victorian satire on greed and overindulgence, these artworks and images span centuries, yet share a common thread of yearning. The tantalizing apple, the elusive butterfly, the poorly defended rose, and even Tantalus' torment all speak to our innate human desire to grasp what lies just beyond our reach. Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot's A Nymph Playing with Cupid and the Army and Navy Stores Catalogue from 1939-40 offer glimpses into the past, while the openings of modern supermarkets and a curious black bear cub remind us that the pursuit of the unattainable is a universal experience. The allure of the out of reach remains a captivating and enduring theme in art and life.