Et un autre ange sortit du temple qui est au ciel, ayant lui aussi une faucille tranchante (And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also having a sharp sickle)

Vollard employed lithography, a process in which the image is drawn directly onto a limestone surface with greasy materials before being printed. The rough, uneven lines and dense shadows reflect a spontaneous, almost sketch-like approach. Dark areas dominate the background, isolating the figures in a void that heightens their symbolic weight. The texture of the strokes conveys urgency, as if the image was captured in a single, focused moment of creation.

This print was made during Vollard’s early engagement with religious themes, preceding his more famous collaborations with artists like Cézanne and Picasso. It was likely produced for a private or limited circulation, as part of a small series exploring biblical visions. No public record of its early ownership exists, but it entered institutional collections in the 20th century as interest grew in Symbolist and print-based religious art.

In late 19th-century France, artists increasingly turned to spiritual and mythological subjects as a counterpoint to industrial modernity. Vollard, though better known as a dealer, was also an active printmaker during this time, influenced by Symbolist aesthetics and the revival of etching and lithography. His religious prints reflect a broader cultural fascination with mysticism and the sublime, distinct from academic religious painting of the era.

Though not widely exhibited during Vollard’s lifetime, this lithograph contributes to a lesser-known body of work that reveals his personal engagement with spiritual imagery. It stands as an example of how printmaking offered artists a direct, intimate medium for exploring theological themes outside the constraints of large-scale painting. Today, it is studied for its expressive line work and its place in the evolution of Symbolist print culture.