Faust and Mephistopheles in the Hartz Mountains, from Goethe's "Faust"

Faust and Mephistopheles in the Hartz Mountains, from Goethe's "Faust" is a powerful lithograph created by Eugène Delacroix between 1825 and 1827. This impressive print, which exists as the seventh state of seven, showcases the French Romantic master’s deep engagement with German literature. Delacroix produced seventeen lithographs illustrating key scenes from Goethe's epic tragedy, published in a highly influential French edition that helped cement the artist’s reputation as a daring and passionate interpreter of literary classics.

The scene depicts the eponymous men, the scholar Faust and the demonic Mephistopheles, traversing the rugged topography of the Hartz Mountains. Delacroix emphasizes the sinister atmosphere of the Walpurgis Night journey. Mephistopheles, depicted in his signature cloak and hat, appears to guide Faust through the desolate peaks and shadowed valleys. The composition is charged with movement and dramatic tension, typical of Delacroix's Romantic style. In the foreground, the artist includes unsettling details, such as serpentine forms resembling snakes coiling around the rocks, emphasizing the satanic nature of the excursion and the perils inherent in Faust’s pact.

This important work demonstrates Delacroix’s early mastery of the lithographic process, allowing for rich, velvety blacks and expressive shading unique to the medium. Classified as a foundational print from the Romantic era, the piece is held within the esteemed collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As the original printing materials are long since out of copyright, high-quality prints and reproductions are often available through public domain sources, allowing wider access to Delacroix's profound visualization of Faust and Mephistopheles in the Hartz Mountains, from Goethe's "Faust".