Artwork
Andromède abandonnée (Andromeda Forsaken)
Andromède abandonnée (Andromeda Forsaken) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Maurice Dumont. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Maurice Dumont’s 1895 lithograph Andromède abandonnée presents a solitary female figure positioned on a craggy shoreline.
Maurice Dumont’s 1895 lithograph Andromède abandonnée presents a solitary female figure positioned on a craggy shoreline. Rendered entirely in black on wove paper, the image captures a moment of quiet tension: the woman, seen from behind, clutches her hair while turning slightly away from an unseen presence. The sea behind her is agitated, and a muted sky looms overhead, emphasizing the isolation of the scene.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on an unnamed woman whose concealed face invites speculation about her emotional state. By holding her hair and shielding her visage, she suggests a desire to hide or protect herself, perhaps alluding to mythic narratives of Andromeda or to broader themes of abandonment and vulnerability. The lack of explicit identifiers leaves the viewer to interpret the figure’s struggle through posture alone.
Technique & Style
Created through lithography, the work was produced by drawing directly onto a flat stone or metal plate, then transferring the image onto paper via a greasy medium that repels water. Dumont’s use of stark black lines and subtle tonal gradations yields a smooth, layered effect, characteristic of late‑19th‑century French printmaking, and enhances the atmospheric quality of the sea and sky.
History & Provenance
Andromède abandonnée was executed in 1895, during a period when Dumont was actively exploring print media. While specific ownership records are limited, the lithograph has appeared in several catalogues of French graphic art from the fin de siècle, indicating its circulation among collectors of contemporary prints and its inclusion in exhibitions focused on mythological or allegorical subjects.
Artist & collection
