Lion of the Atlas Mountains

Lion of the Atlas Mountains is a powerful lithograph created in 1829 by the master of French Romanticism, Eugène Delacroix (French, 1798-1863), with the printing executed by E. Ardit (French, active 1828-1834). This print is a significant example of early experimentation in reproductive media. The demanding technique of lithography involved printing the image in rich black ink onto delicate, light-gray China paper, which was then carefully mounted onto a sturdier ivory wove paper, a process known technically as chine collé.

Even before his seminal trip to North Africa in 1832, Delacroix demonstrated a profound fascination with exotic subjects and the powerful fauna of the Moroccan landscape. This work captures the titular lion, a creature symbolic of untamed nature and ferocity, rendered with the intense energy and dramatic contrasts characteristic of the Romantic movement in France. The selection of a wild animal native to the Atlas Mountains satisfied the 19th-century European appetite for scenes of drama and Orientalist subject matter.

As one of his important early prints, this composition showcases Delacroix’s masterful handling of shadow and form within the lithographic stone, achieving an impressive sense of texture and volume that brings the resting beast to life. The prevalence of prints, especially those by Romantic masters like Delacroix, ensures wide access to their vision; works of this age often enter the public domain, allowing broader access to high-resolution art historical material. This specific, high-quality impression of the Lion of the Atlas Mountains is housed within the esteemed collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a critical document of 19th-century French print culture.