At the window ("Open here I flung the shutter..."), from The Raven (Le Corbeau)

The transfer lithograph At the window ("Open here I flung the shutter..."), from The Raven (Le Corbeau), executed in 1875 by Édouard Manet, represents a seminal moment in the history of modern book illustration. This print is one of a series created for Stéphane Mallarmé’s highly regarded French translation of Edgar Allan Poe's famous narrative poem, The Raven (Le Corbeau). The project was a significant collaboration, reflecting the deep engagement of French modernist culture with the macabre psychology of Poe.

Manet employed the challenging medium of transfer lithography in black on cream laid paper to achieve the visual intensity required by the source material. This technique allowed him to render the dark, atmospheric mood and sense of agitated isolation central to Poe’s poem. The composition itself captures the dramatic moment when the narrator, responding to a tapping noise, tears open the shutter to reveal the mysterious visitor. Through minimal detail and stark use of shadow, Manet emphasizes the psychological tension rather than presenting a literal depiction of the scene.

Published by Richard Lesclide and printed by Lefman et Cie., this artistic venture cemented Manet’s role not only as a leading painter but also as a master printmaker. The resulting publication was a crucial example of avant-garde prints uniting fine art illustration with Symbolist literature in 19th-century France. Today, this impression of the work is held within the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a vital historical link between American Gothic literature and French artistic innovation. Pieces of this cultural importance are widely studied and frequently made available for scholarly access, upholding the principles of public domain art history.