Mephistopheles Flying, from Faust

Mephistopheles Flying, from Faust by Eugène Delacroix French, 1798-1863, is a potent example of Romantic printmaking, executed in 1828 as a lithograph in black on white wove paper. This work belongs to a landmark series of eighteen lithographs that Delacroix produced to illustrate the first French translation of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's epic poem, Faust. The German literary masterpiece, translated by Gérard de Nerval, provided the ideal dramatic and psychological material for the artist, who became a leading figure in the French Romantic movement.

Delacroix favored intense emotion and dynamic compositions over the visual restraint of Neoclassicism. The choice of lithography was crucial for realizing this vision; this planographic printing method allowed him to sketch directly onto the stone, retaining the spontaneous, energetic quality of his drawings. The resulting black-and-white image captures the demonic Mephistopheles soaring through a swirling sky, utilizing deep, atmospheric shadows and active lines to convey the chaotic speed and moral turbulence of the scene.

The success of these Faust illustrations cemented Delacroix’s reputation across Europe as a master of graphic arts and invigorated the market for high-quality artistic prints. His distinctive interpretation of the literary figure profoundly influenced later visual depictions of Mephistopheles. This historic image, which exemplifies 19th-century French culture, has since entered the public domain and is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.