The Chimera (La Chimère de Monsieur Desprez) by Louis Jean Desprez

The Chimera (La Chimère de Monsieur Desprez) 1777 - 1784

drawing, print, etching

drawing

ink drawing

pen drawing

print

pen sketch

etching

junji ito style

personal sketchbook

ink drawing experimentation

plant

pen-ink sketch

france

pen work

sketchbook drawing

sketchbook art

"The Chimera" (1777-1784), an etching by French artist Louis Jean Desprez, depicts a grotesque chimera in the style of a fantastical creature. The chimera is a composite creature composed of various animal parts, including the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent. The work is a study in anatomical detail and a testament to the artist's imagination. Desprez's chimera is a powerful and unsettling image, emphasizing the grotesque and the monstrous, suggesting a fear of the unknown and the power of nature. The work is a testament to Desprez's innovative use of line and shading, creating a rich and detailed image.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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An inscription that accompanied later editions of this image attests to this creature's predations: "The beast, born in the burning sands of Africa, lived in the ruined palace once belonging to Masinissa (ca. 240-148 B.C.), the former ruler of Numidia, a retreat which the chimera left only to devour animals and unwary travelers. Neither land nor sea could contain the monster, who moved ceaselessly over both in his unending hunt. Here, a blazing sun and an arch describe the chimera's African habitat; the ground is crawling with reptiles and strewn with the remains of victims."