The first aerial ascent from the ancient city of Strasbourg was made by a Monsieur Adorne and an unnamed companion on 15th May 1784 – not 15th March as given on the print – in one of the finest of decorated Montgolfiere's. The river Rhine flows peacefully through the picture and the single spire Cathedral rises conspicuously in the background. On the right, by the riverbank, we see the launching site with the familiar twin masts and in the foreground a charming group of countrymen and trees, which round off the composition. But the coloured monster takes up most of the space and a fine monster she is. A printed canopy spreads over the flag-topped crown and against a sky blue ground; there are bands of elaborate ornament including a frieze of the signs of the Zodiac alternating with Apollo heads surrounded by his sun god rays. The graceful neck of the great Montgolfiere ends in the gallery for the crew, where the two aeronauts are seen waving to the earthbound onlookers.