Artwork
Illustrations for Faust: Marguerite at church
Illustrations for Faust: Marguerite at church is a print by the Romanticist artist Eugène Delacroix. It dates from 1828 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Illustrations for Faust: Marguerite at church is a 1828 print by Eugène Delacroix, a prominent French Romantic artist. The work captures a dramatic scene from Goethe's Faust, portraying Marguerite in a tumultuous church environment.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts Marguerite, a central character from Faust, in a state of distress within a church. A rough-clad man forcefully pulls her away, amidst a reacting crowd, implying a narrative of guilt, punishment, and turmoil.
Technique & Style
Delacroix's emphasis on expressive color and dynamic movement, influenced by Rubens and Venetian Renaissance painters, contrasts with the Neoclassical precision of his contemporaries, resulting in a vivid, chaotic scene.
History & Provenance
Created in 1828, the print is part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection, showcasing Delacroix's contribution to the Romantic movement through literary illustration.
Context
This work aligns with Romanticism's themes of intense emotion, moral conflict, and the sublime, using a literary source to explore dramatic, psychologically charged moments.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix ( DEL-ə-krwah, -KRWAH; French: ; 26 April 1798 – 13 August 1863) was a French Romantic artist who was regarded as the leader of the French Romantic school.
