Who painted The Demon Printer?

The Demon Printer was painted by Félix-Hilaire Buhot in 1878.

Where can I see The Demon Printer?

The Demon Printer is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Demon Printer?

The Demon Printer is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

The Demon Printer

Félix-Hilaire Buhot , 1878

The Demon Printer is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Félix-Hilaire Buhot. It dates from 1878 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Félix‑Hilaire Buhot’s print titled *The Demon Printer* was produced in 1878. Executed as an etching that incorporates dry‑point work, the image is a black‑and‑white composition that captures a tumultuous interior scene. The work measures roughly the size of a typical nineteenth‑century print and is catalogued as a single‑sheet print rather than a series.

Subject & Meaning

Behind them, a dimly lit room is hinted at through a partially opened window, revealing a quieter group of people engaged in ordinary activity.

In the foreground, two contorted figures dominate the picture: one extends claw‑like hands toward the upper edge of the frame, while the other grasps a cross with a desperate grip. Behind them, a dimly lit room is hinted at through a partially opened window, revealing a quieter group of people engaged in ordinary activity. The juxtaposition of chaos and calm suggests a commentary on the intrusion of destructive forces into everyday life.

Technique & Style

Buhot combined traditional etching with dry‑point, a method in which a sharp needle incises lines directly into the copper plate. The resulting burr holds ink, producing rich, velvety strokes that appear sketch‑like and vigorous. This hybrid approach yields the work’s characteristic rough, dark outlines and the swirling, smoky forms that convey movement and tension across the surface.

History & Provenance

Created in the late nineteenth century, *The Demon Printer* entered the market shortly after its completion, appearing in several French print exhibitions of the period. It later passed through the collections of private dealers in Paris before being acquired by a European museum in the mid‑twentieth century, where it remains part of the print department’s permanent holdings.