The Faust illustrations by the French Romantic artist Eugène Delacroix did not appear as a separate cycle of prints, but were published in 1828 in the magnificent French edition of Goethe’s play. Using the new technique of lithography, Delacroix was able to work as freely as if drawing on paper. His poignant scenes come to life against dark backgrounds; his figures are dynamic, ambivalent, and passionate. When Goethe saw the first proofs in 1826, he was fascinated by the independence of the images and looked forward to seeing more. He described the artist as “wild” and “brilliant”, admitting that the art had surpassed his imagination.