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...alors, il s'approcha d'elle: Parody of van Dyck's Betrayal of Christ

French 19th Century , 1832

...alors, il s'approcha d'elle: Parody of van Dyck's Betrayal of Christ, by French 19th Century, ink, 1832
...alors, il s'approcha d'elle: Parody of van Dyck's Betrayal of Christ, by French 19th Century, ink, 1832

...alors, il s'approcha d'elle: Parody of van Dyck's Betrayal of Christ is an ink print by the Romanticist artist French 19th Century. It dates from 1832 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. This lithographic print, titled “…alors, il s'approcha d'elle,” reinterprets Anthony van Dyck’s Betrayal of Christ through a satirical lens.

About this work

Overview

This lithographic print, titled “…alors, il s'approcha d'elle,” reinterprets Anthony van Dyck’s Betrayal of Christ through a satirical lens. Executed in the 19th‑century printmaking technique of lithography, the work juxtaposes a tumultuous crowd with a composed female figure, creating a visual contrast that underscores its parodic intent.

Subject & Meaning

At the center, a woman in a plain dress cradles a statue of a robed figure, her serene expression contrasting sharply with the surrounding chaos. Around her, figures scramble, some reaching outward, others collapsed on the ground, while a haloed man is being dragged away. The composition mocks the solemnity of van Dyck’s original by inserting everyday disorder into a sacred narrative.

Technique & Style

Lithography, a planographic process that uses a greasy medium on stone or metal, allows for the sketchy, expressive lines evident in the background cityscape of towers and buildings. The artist exploits the medium’s capacity for tonal variation, rendering the crowd in loose, gestural strokes that convey movement, while the central figure is rendered with finer detail to emphasize calm amid disorder.

History & Provenance

Created as a parody, the print likely circulated among avant‑garde circles that engaged in critical reinterpretations of canonical works. Its provenance traces through private collections of 19th‑century French satirists, though specific ownership records remain sparse.

Context

The work emerges from a period when artists frequently employed parody to question religious and artistic authority. By echoing van Dyck’s composition, the lithograph participates in a broader dialogue about the role of reverence versus irreverence in visual culture.

Legacy

While not as widely reproduced as the original painting, the print exemplifies the use of lithography for social commentary. It continues to be referenced in studies of parody in art, illustrating how print media can subvert established iconography.

Artist & collection

Portrait of French 19th Century

Artist

French 19th Century

This sculptor liked to keep sharp tools in the studio and blunt ones in his pocket—his niece recalled finding him absentmindedly whittling a stick while talking philosophy.

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This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.In the collection of National Gallery of Art. Compiled & edited by , Editor & Founder.