The Passage of Mount Saint Bernard

"The Passage of Mount Saint Bernard," created by the celebrated French artist Théodore Géricault and printed by Charles Étienne Pierre Motte in 1822, is a powerful example of early Romantic graphic arts. This seminal work, executed as a lithograph in black on ivory wove paper, allowed Géricault to explore the dramatic intensity he is known for with the immediacy of drawing. Lithography, a relatively new medium at the time, was critical to the dissemination of Romantic aesthetics in France, enabling artists to achieve deep tonal contrasts and dramatic textures essential for capturing the sublime and the tumultuous.

Géricault often employed his prints to focus on moments of intense human struggle, whether against nature, political forces, or emotional turmoil. In this particular piece, the artist harnesses deep shadow and sharp highlights to emphasize the arduous nature of the journey across the famed Alpine pass, echoing historical events of monumental consequence. The powerful composition reflects the early 19th-century fascination with heroic sacrifice and the dramatic relationship between man and environment, a hallmark of French Romanticism.

The work is classified as a Print and represents an important facet of the artist’s oeuvre beyond his famed oil canvases. This significant piece of French cultural heritage is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As a masterwork of lithography, it continues to influence studies of early 19th-century prints, and its presence in leading museum collections ensures its legacy remains accessible to both scholars and those interested in public domain art resources.