Artwork
Renard à l'affût
Renard à l'affût is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Karl Bodmer. It dates from 1851 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1851, *Renard à l'affût* is a lithographic print by Karl Bodmer. The work presents a solitary fox poised within a forested landscape, rendered with a restrained palette and clear contours. It exemplifies Bodmer’s mid‑century output after he settled in France, where he signed his pieces as K Bodmer.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a fox in a moment of attentive stillness, its body angled as if ready to spring. The natural setting, with trees and underbrush rendered in simplified forms, underscores the animal’s integration into its environment, reflecting a 19th‑century fascination with wildlife observed in situ.
Technique & Style
Executed in lithography, the image relies on bold, fluid lines that convey both the animal’s form and a subtle sense of motion. Bodmer’s approach reduces foliage to geometric shapes, allowing the fox to dominate the visual field while maintaining a harmonious balance between figure and background.
History & Provenance
Swiss‑French artist Karl Bodmer, noted for his river landscapes, produced this print after relocating to France. By the early 1840s he began signing works as K Bodmer, a practice continued here. The lithograph entered the European print market shortly after its creation, circulating among collectors of contemporary naturalist imagery.
Artist & collection
Artist
Johann Carl Bodmer (11 February 1809 – 30 October 1893) was a Swiss-French printmaker, etcher, lithographer, zinc engraver, draughtsman, painter, illustrator, and hunter.
