Fotoreproductie van (vermoedelijk) een tekening getiteld 'Wandeling van Mephisto en Martha' 1879

This photogravure, likely from a drawing titled 'Wandeling van Mephisto en Martha', presents a scene cast in a monochromatic palette. The artist uses line and shadow to create depth. The composition centres on the receding figures of Mephisto and Martha, set against a densely rendered background of trees. The texture created by the varying densities of hatching, suggests a lush yet dark environment, contributing to an atmosphere of unease. The characters are carefully positioned to convey their relationship; Mephisto leads with a confident stride, his cape swirling, while Martha seems more tentative. The presence of the sword disrupts the apparent harmony. The semiotic interplay between light and shadow here subtly destabilizes established meanings, inviting us to question the morality of the scene. The formal qualities of this work underscore a broader engagement with the philosophical themes of morality and deception, framed within the visual language of the late 19th century.