Fronte-boeuf and the Witch, from Ivanhoe

Fronte-boeuf and the Witch, from Ivanhoe is a powerful lithograph in black on white wove paper created in 1829 by the renowned Romantic master, Eugène Delacroix French, 1798-1863. Classified as a print, this work illustrates a highly dramatic episode from Sir Walter Scott's influential 1819 historical novel, Ivanhoe, a crucial literary source for French Romantic artists during this period.

Delacroix utilized the relatively new medium of lithography, valued for its immediacy and atmospheric potential, to capture the psychological intensity of the confrontation. The medium enabled the artist to achieve stark tonal contrasts and dynamic compositions, highlighting the Gothic horror inherent in Scott’s story. The scene depicts the terrified and tormented knight Front-de-Boeuf confronting a mysterious female figure, often interpreted as the captive Jewess Rebecca. Her healing knowledge is misinterpreted as black magic by her captors, feeding into the cultural superstitions of medieval France.

The production of such graphic works demonstrates Delacroix’s early and deep engagement with narrative drama and literary interpretation. His prints, though less studied than his monumental oil paintings, are vital examples of his graphic innovation, allowing his powerful Romantic visions to reach a wide audience across France. This work stands as a testament to the early 19th-century Romantic movement’s fascination with historical fiction and emotional extremes. Today, this exemplary lithograph is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it remains an important object for the study of 19th-century prints, occasionally made available through public domain initiatives.