Le Ballon de Gonesse

The design was assembled from contemporary prints depicting two separate balloon flights from Paris in 1783. One balloon landed in the village of Gonesse; frightened villagers mistook the ballon for a monster and called for an exorcism. The second flight, the first to carry human passengers (Nicolas Robert and Jacquest Charles), landed on the Nesles plain 22 miles from Paris, where it was met by a delegation of citizens. Printed in red on white cotton, seamed in the center; both selvedges present.