Mephistopheles Over Wittenberg (From Goethe's Faust) 1839

Eugène Delacroix's lithograph "Mephistopheles Over Wittenberg (From Goethe's Faust)" depicts a dramatic scene from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's famous play "Faust". In the print, the devil Mephistopheles, with bat-like wings and a pointed tail, flies over the city of Wittenberg, a symbolic representation of his journey through human life with Faust. Delacroix captures the essence of this literary theme with dramatic and energetic lines, contrasting the darkness of Mephistopheles with the light of the city below, creating a captivating visual narrative. The artwork is an example of Romantic art, influenced by literary themes and emphasizing dramatic expression, drawing inspiration from the imagination and the power of the individual.