Victor Hugo

Hugo, Victor Marie
French, 1802 - 1885

Explore selected works

The image shows a ruined structure off-center, extending towards the left side. The horizon is high in the composition, with dark forms resembling remnants of a castle or fortress against a turbulent sky. The etching features cross-hatched brushstrokes, creating movement and depth. This contrasts the dark ruins with lighter areas. The color palette is monochromatic, using shades of black and gray to enhance the dramatic effect. The foreground has rugged terrain with intricate details leading into shadows, while the distant sky merges with darker elements, creating an ominous tone.
Victor Hugo, Landscape, 1868, etching on laid paper, Rosenwald Collection, 1980.45.854

Landscape

Victor Hugo · 1868 · etching on laid paper ·  Accession ID  1980.45.854
The image shows a landscape with ruins and rugged terrain. The viewpoint is slightly elevated. The horizon is placed in the upper third of the composition with tall, dark structures against the night sky. The artwork uses intricate cross-hatching and line work for texture and shadows. The color palette is monochromatic in black and white, enhancing contrast. There are rough formations and remnants of walls or arches nearby, leading towards the distant structures. The background features a thickly inked sky.
Victor Hugo, L'Eclair (Lightning), 1868, etching in black on laid paper (facing _L'Eclair_ by Paul Meurice), Gift of Richard A. Simms, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, 1991.26.1.dd

L'Eclair (Lightning)

Victor Hugo · 1868 · etching in black on laid paper (facing _L'Eclair_ by Paul Meurice) ·  Accession ID  1991.26.1.dd