Bengal Tiger

The powerful image, Bengal Tiger, was created by the French Romantic master Eugène Delacroix in 1829, utilizing the medium of lithography. This significant work, a collaboration with printer E. Ardit, is an exquisite example of early 19th-century prints. The composition employs the intricate technique of chine collé, where the image was printed in black onto a thin sheet of light gray China paper, which was subsequently laid down onto a heavier ivory wove paper. This method enhanced the luminosity of the grays and the intensity of the black ink, crucial for capturing the animal’s texture and psychological depth. This interest in dramatic contrast and dynamic subject matter was central to the Romantic movement flourishing in France.

Delacroix frequently turned to exotic and intense subjects, utilizing the inherent drama of nature to explore themes of violence, passion, and vitality. The selection of the tiger allowed Delacroix to emphasize form and musculature through masterful manipulation of light and shadow, demonstrating the artist’s full command of the lithographic medium. As a crucial figure in French art history, Delacroix's experiments with printmaking were highly influential, making works such as this accessible in subsequent eras. Today, images and prints of this masterwork are widely distributed, frequently entering the public domain. This particular impression of Bengal Tiger resides in the esteemed permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, illustrating the period’s fascination with powerful, untamed nature.