I just came to Paris, France to find out that there is an exhibition of Eugene Delacroix, "The last years, 1850-1863" , at the Galerie National du Grand Palais. The exhibition lasts till July 20 1998.



Delacroix, "Combat d'Arabes dans les montagnes", 92 x74cm, 1863

Delacroix, (Fernand, Victor) Eugéne, 1798-1863

Leading French Romantic painter, draughts man, lithographer, writer and Art Critic

Born to an aristocratic family (possibly a secret son of Talleyrand). He studied with Guérin, a follower of David and studied music as well. Became a good friend with Chopin and Berlioz and painted their portraits. In 1824 when he was in financial difficulties he was helped by Gericault whose work (paintings) had enormous influence in Delacroix.

He became famous with his painting "Dante and Virgil in the Inferno",, oil on canvas 1822 189X241.5c"m (Louvre), which was based on an earlier painting by Géricault: "The Raft of the Medusa", from 1818-19. The dead bodies in Delacroix's version (in the water) were influenced by Michael Angelo. In 1824 he painted "The massacre os Chios", oil on canvas 419X354 c"m, as lament of defeat (Louvre)

The painting "The death of Sardanapalus" oil on canvas,1827-28 392X496c"m (Louvre) was based on a a story by Byron. Delacroix changed the story but used Sardanapal as an excuse to paint an exotic sensual and violent subject with freedom of brush and colors in which passion despair and morbidity are dominant.

As an involved painter he paints, after the July 1930 revolution, "The Liberty Leading the People",1930 oil on canvas (Louvre). Two years later he travels to North Africa, which provides a source recorded in his many scratch books of exotic sensuous imagery and glowing colors. He becomes very famous inspired by visit to Africa: "The women of Algiers", 1934 oil on canvas, 180X229c"m (Louvre), "Jewish Wedding in Morocco", oil on canvas, 105X140c"m (Louvre). He became known for his composition of animal subjects as "The Moroccan on the Horse", oil on canvas 1855 (Hermitage St. Petersburg); Arab Horses fighting in a stable", oil on canvas 1860 64X81 c"m (Louvre), and of his many watercolors.

His religious paintings are less known.

He revives the old tradition of fresco painting at the church of Saint Sulpice in Paris where he painted "Jacob Struggles with the Angel" and The expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple". 1856-1861. And other frescoes in the in Apollon Gallery, Louvre and in the library.

His journals and critical writings are valuable as historical documents and works in there own rights.

Delacroix was influenced by works of his contemporaries as Constable, Gericault, Gros and of past masters as Michelangelo, Poussin,Rubens and others. This is the same approach He applied to his study of nature and reality as a whole. He made used literature subjects of science in his studies of color relationships, photography, study of form, and lithography in his graphic work. His concern for form and composition increased and towards the end of his life he achieved a synthesis of these elements. His use of broken color and the freedom of his brushwork was immense in the formation of the later Realist and Impressionist painting. The article by Ariela Erez.