Open full image Pin

The Bookplate of the Printer's Devil

Francis Scott King

1896

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century Mythology

Dominant colour

The Bookplate of the Printer's Devil is a 1896 ink by Francis Scott King, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Francis Scott King
When & what style?: 1896 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This print shows a chaotic, dark scene with strange figures and twisted shapes. In the center, a large, shadowy creature looms over a small human-like figure. To the right, another person sits near a book, while the background swirls with clouds and odd, swirling lines. The edges of the print have decorative patterns that look like waves or smoke. The tiny text at the bottom names it *The Bookplate of the Printer's Devil*—a playful title for an eerie image. The artist packed a lot of detail into this small, intricate print. Next, check out how engraving works to see how this kind of fine linework is made.