Mephistopheles Receiving the Student

The influential work Mephistopheles Receiving the Student was created by the French Romantic master Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863) in 1828. This lithograph in black on ivory wove paper is an exemplary early use of the medium by the artist, who was captivated by the graphic potential of prints. Delacroix produced approximately 17 lithographic series during his career, utilizing the technique to achieve rich tonal variations, dramatic chiaroscuro, and textured blacks that often surpassed the capabilities of traditional etching.

The subject illustrates a pivotal moment from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s tragic drama, Faust, a defining literary inspiration for Delacroix throughout his life. This specific scene captures the sinister intensity of Mephistopheles, who is often portrayed with cynical theatricality, as he engages the impressionable student. Delacroix's masterful control of light and shadow, characteristic of his developing Romantic style in France, emphasizes the profound tension and moral darkness inherent in the meeting, cementing his reputation as a superb literary interpreter.

Classified simply as a print, this piece demonstrates Delacroix’s early commitment to the graphic arts alongside his large-scale oil paintings. The accessibility of such lithographic prints allowed the artist to disseminate his unique, emotionally charged visions of complex literary subjects to a wider audience. This historically significant work, a celebrated example of 19th-century French lithography, is currently held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As the image is now in the public domain, high-quality images of these historic prints are readily available for scholarly research and appreciation.