Mephistopheles Flying, from Faust

Mephistopheles Flying, from Faust by Eugène Delacroix French, 1798-1863, created in 1828, is a significant early example of Romantic book illustration, expertly rendered as a lithograph in black on white wove paper. Delacroix produced seventeen such illustrations for a French edition of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s tragic drama, Faust. This series marked a major artistic turning point, establishing the artist's reputation as a master draftsman and printmaker.

The decision to use lithography, a relatively new and versatile printing method in France at the time, allowed Delacroix to achieve painterly effects and deep tonal contrasts necessary for the highly dramatic subject matter. The medium facilitated the intense darkness and movement central to his Romantic style, distinguishing these prints from the more restrained Neoclassical illustrations that preceded them.

The work captures the iconic moment of the demon Mephistopheles soaring through the air, embodying the chaotic energy and spiritual damnation central to Goethe's narrative. Delacroix’s interpretation of the literary source emphasizes psychological intensity rather than classical modeling. The figure is rendered dynamically, using the expressive lines and broad strokes characteristic of the artist's mature output. Goethe himself recognized the profound power in Delacroix’s visual narrative, noting how these prints captured the dark, fantastical spirit of his text better than any prior visual interpretation.

As one of the most powerful prints from the Faust suite, this impression demonstrates the enduring influence of Delacroix’s control over the lithographic medium and his unique ability to translate literary drama into visual form. This historically crucial piece of 19th-century French printmaking is housed in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.