Artwork
The Goddess Discord [La Discord]
![The Goddess Discord [La Discord], by Félix Bracquemond, ink, 1886](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/felix-bracquemond--the-goddess-discord-la-discord--fe619c84d477117f-w1024.webp)
The Goddess Discord [La Discord] is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Félix Bracquemond. It dates from 1886 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created in 1886, The Goddess Discord (La Discord) is an etching executed on parchment by French artist Félix Henri Bracquemond.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:upper right in plate: HYMEN; lower left in plate: -Gustave Moreau-; across upper margin in plate: October 1st 1886, London, Publishing by Boussod, Valadon & Co successors to Goupil & Co 116 & 117. New Bond Street W and g. rue Chaptal, Paris, Copyright registered; signed by artist, lower right below plate, in graphite: Bracquemond; by later hand, lower left, in graphite: La dionade B. 798
- Markings
- Marked:blind stamp, lower left below plate: TU [encircled]
About this work
Overview
Created in 1886, The Goddess Discord (La Discord) is an etching executed on parchment by French artist Félix Henri Bracquemond. The work presents a monochrome composition that combines mythological imagery with a stark, atmospheric setting, rendered in a style that emphasizes dramatic contrast and a sense of desolation.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a winged female figure, half‑clothed, reclining against a shattered column while her head rests on her arm, suggesting fatigue or surrender. Behind her, a ruined temple bearing the inscription “HYMEN” looms within a dim forest, populated by tiny, concealed figures and a solitary bird, evoking themes of abandonment, discord, and the decay of sacred rites.
Technique & Style
Bracquemond employed traditional etching methods on a parchment support, allowing acid to bite the metal plate and produce varied line qualities. The image is characterized by loose, rough lines and deep, expressive shading; the ink spreads in a way that creates a sketch‑like, almost spontaneous appearance, heightening the work’s eerie, dramatic tone.
History & Provenance
The piece originates from a period when Bracquemond was actively reviving printmaking in France, contributing to the medium’s renewed popularity among his contemporaries. Though specific ownership records are limited, the work is documented within the artist’s oeuvre as part of his late‑19th‑century output, reflecting his experimental approach to print media.
Context
During the 1880s Bracquemond’s practice intersected with the early Japonisme movement, influencing his decorative designs and his interest in cross‑cultural motifs. His engagement with printmaking also intersected with the broader artistic circles that included figures such as Édouard Manet and Edgar Degas, who were exploring new graphic techniques and subject matter.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Félix Henri Bracquemond was a French painter, etcher, and printmaker. He played a key role in the revival of printmaking, encouraging artists such as Édouard Manet, Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro to use this technique.
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