Tigre en arrêt

Tigre en arrêt by Eugène Delacroix, created in 1854, is a powerful and intimate exploration of zoological study utilizing an innovative printmaking technique. This piece, classified simply as a print, was executed using cliché-verre on wove paper. The creation date situates the work squarely in the mid-19th century, falling within the period of 1851 to 1875, a time of significant technical experimentation in the graphic arts world.

The medium itself-—cliché-verre (literally "glass negative")—is a fusion of drawing and photography, where the artist draws directly onto a chemically prepared glass plate that is then used to expose light-sensitive paper. This technique allowed Delacroix, the leading master of the French Romantic school, to achieve tonal ranges and textural nuances distinct from traditional etching or lithography.

The subject matter, a tiger caught in a moment of tense pause or "arrêt," exemplifies Delacroix's lifelong fascination with the sublime power of animals, a theme heavily featured in his extensive studies and his trips to North Africa. The work emphasizes the physical power and potential violence contained within the resting animal, rendered through the deep contrast afforded by the photographic printing process. Delacroix's focus on animal anatomy and dynamic energy provided a counterpoint to the more formal subjects favored by contemporary academic artists.

Although renowned for his large-scale oil paintings, Delacroix maintained a vigorous output in graphic arts, using these processes to develop ideas and explore new technical challenges. This highly atmospheric work remains an essential example of the Romantic tradition transitioning into a more modern visual sensibility. The piece is part of the extensive collection of graphic works held by the National Gallery of Art. Today, such historical prints of this era, increasingly available to the public domain, continue to inform studies of mid-century French innovation.