The Chair ("That shadow that lies floating on the floor..."), from The Raven (Le Corbeau)

The Chair ("That shadow that lies floating on the floor..."), from The Raven (Le Corbeau) is a key graphic work created by Édouard Manet in 1875. This image is part of a celebrated, ambitious series accompanying Edgar Allan Poe's classic poem The Raven, which was translated and produced by the Symbolist poet Stéphane Mallarmé. Published in France by Richard Lesclide, the project stands as a landmark moment where major figures of French literature and art converged to redefine the livre d’artiste tradition.

Manet utilized the complex technique of transfer lithography in black on cream laid paper for this illustration series. Eschewing literal narrative depiction, Manet focused instead on evocative, psychological scenes. The work focuses intensely on an empty chair, an isolated object that serves as a substitute for the poem's grieving narrator or the spectral memory of Lenore. The titular line is realized through a dramatic, expressionistic use of shadow and light. This stark composition isolates the object, emphasizing its haunting nature, while the heavy black and white contrast characteristic of these prints enhances the somber, unsettling mood of Poe’s narrative.

Produced in France during the height of the 19th century, this suite bridges the literary Symbolism promoted by Mallarmé and the graphic innovation characteristic of Manet's career. Manet’s contributions to graphic arts are highly valued, establishing a powerful connection between text and visual metaphor. This definitive example of French prints, an important historical document now entering the public domain due to its age, is proudly held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.