The Devil 1751

Claude Burdel's *The Devil* (1751) is a hand-colored etching that depicts a winged, humanoid devil with a grotesque face. The devil stands on a pedestal, his feet like those of a bird, and holds a torch. Two chained figures stand on either side. The artist, Claude Burdel (1727-1799), was a French engraver, and this print was likely one of a set of tarot cards. The etching reflects a traditional European depiction of the devil, drawing on historical and cultural imagery of temptation and damnation. It is a powerful example of the 18th-century's fascination with the supernatural and the anxieties of the age.