The Legend and Adventures of Ulenspiefel and Lamme Goedzak: The Hanged Man - Félicien Rops

A haunting etching by Félicien Rops illustrating a scene from Charles De Coster's novel, depicting a man suspended from a church bell.

This etching by Félicien Rops serves as a visual accompaniment to Charles De Coster's 1867 novel, 'The Legend and Adventures of Ulenspiefel and Lamme Goedzak'. The work depicts a grim scene from the text, where a man is suspended from the clapper of a church bell, a punishment for sounding the alarm. Rops, a master of the printmaking medium, employs precise, hatched lines to construct the heavy timber framework of the belfry, creating a claustrophobic and oppressive atmosphere.

The composition is dominated by the stark contrast between the dark, wooden beams and the pale, circular openings that suggest the exterior light. The figure of the hanged man is rendered with anatomical focus, his form hanging limply against the mechanical coldness of the bell. Birds, rendered in silhouette, add a sense of desolation to the scene. Rops captures the macabre spirit of the narrative, which is set during the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule. The artist's technical skill in etching allows for a range of textures, from the rough grain of the wood to the smooth, metallic surface of the bell.

This print is representative of Rops's contribution to the Belgian Symbolist movement, where he often explored themes of death, eroticism, and social decay. His work for De Coster's novel remains one of his most recognised contributions to book illustration. The inclusion of the French inscription at the base, 'Et il fit pendre au battant de la cloche, celui qui avait sonné l'alarme', provides the necessary narrative context for the viewer. The print demonstrates a high level of control over light and shadow, typical of Rops's mature period in Brussels, where he refined his ability to convey psychological tension through stark, monochromatic imagery.