Faust and Mephistopheles in the Harz Mountains

"Faust and Mephistopheles in the Harz Mountains" by Eugène Delacroix (French, 1798-1863) is a significant example of 19th-century French printmaking and literary illustration. Executed in 1828, this work utilizes the medium of lithograph in black ink, printed on delicate light gray China paper that was subsequently laid down on sturdier ivory wove paper. This technical detail highlights the complex, layered process of print production during the Romantic era, where Delacroix frequently experimented to achieve maximum dramatic effect.

Delacroix was profoundly influenced by literature, dedicating much of his graphic output to illustrating the masterpieces of his time. The subject is drawn from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's influential tragedy Faust, depicting the title character and the demon Mephistopheles amidst the turbulent, rugged landscape of the Harz Mountains. The composition likely references the infamous Walpurgis Night sequence, a moment of supernatural chaos and intense psychological reckoning central to Goethe's narrative. Delacroix's dramatic use of black and white, especially the stark contrasts afforded by the lithograph medium, perfectly captures the intense, subjective emotionality characteristic of French Romanticism.

As a core contribution to the history of prints in France, the visual complexity and theatrical staging of Faust and Mephistopheles in the Harz Mountains underscore Delacroix’s status as the leading painter of his generation. The dynamic quality of the image speaks to the growing interest in making high-quality art accessible through prints. This celebrated lithograph resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, serving as a key reference point for the study of 19th-century French art.