Weislingen Attacked by Goetz's Men

Weislingen Attacked by Goetz's Men, created by Eugène Delacroix French, 1798-1863 in 1836, exemplifies the dramatic power the artist brought to the medium of lithography. This powerful print was executed as a lithograph in black on delicate white China paper, subsequently laid down on a white wove paper support.

The subject is derived from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s 1773 play Götz von Berlichingen, a foundational text for the German Romantic movement that greatly appealed to Delacroix's temperament. The scene captures the chaotic moment when the treacherous Weislingen, who has betrayed the titular knight Goetz, is overwhelmed and slain by Goetz's loyal men. Delacroix employed stark contrasts of light and shadow, combined with highly kinetic movement, to emphasize the violence and psychological intensity of the confrontation. The crowded composition and the flurry of agitated figures highlight the expressive freedom characteristic of the Romantic movement in France.

The medium of the lithograph, with its capacity for bold strokes and deep blacks, perfectly suited Delacroix’s turbulent vision, enabling him to achieve a rapid, sketch-like immediacy that enhances the feeling of urgency in the depicted attack. Delacroix produced numerous ambitious prints throughout his career, often focusing on literary or historical subjects that allowed him maximum scope for expressive experimentation. As a significant example of 19th-century French graphic arts, this work resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.