Man and fire

Since the dawn of time, fire has accompanied humanity as a force that is both life-saving and dangerous. When humans learned to master it, they did more than simply warm themselves or cook their food: they crossed a decisive threshold in their relationship with the world. To control fire is already to seek dominion over nature.

Fire illuminates the darkness, drives away predators, and brings groups together around a common hearth. It becomes a symbol of power, knowledge, and progress. Yet this power demands constant vigilance: when poorly controlled, fire destroys as much as it protects. Humanity thus discovers that mastering fire also means mastering oneself.

Over the centuries, this desire does not disappear; it evolves. From primitive torches to thermal engines, from forges to energy plants, fire changes form but retains its symbolic weight. It embodies the human ambition to transform, accelerate, and shape the world according to its needs.

Thus, fire reveals a profound truth: humans are not merely users of flame; they are beings who seek to dominate it. In this quest for control, both human creative genius and its limitations emerge, for mastering fire is always to flirt with what may ultimately escape control.