Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863) for Thursday Art day

I read Delacroix believed that, in painting, colour was much more important than draftsmanship, and imagination than knowledge.

Eugene Delacroix – Arabians Travelling

Apparently he became tired of the the learned subjects the Academy expected painters to illustrate, and traveled to North Africa to study the glowing colours and romantic trappings of the Arab world. ‘Arabians Travelling’  plus the other paintings pictured show a few examples of his journey. Though there is no clarity of outline as with many other artists of the time, there is a real sense of movement and excitement  and expectation in the scenes.

Eugene Delacroix – Arabic Fantasy – Moroccan horsemen in military action-1832

The Arab cavalry sweeping past and the Arabian horse rearing in the foreground of Moroccan horsemen in military action. If his desire was to capture the mystic of the Arab world of the time he succeeded. It’s easy to imagine his enthusiasm for his subject. The horses I love because they are Arabian but the colour and the racing movement even the captivating enthusiasm of the riders takes you right there imagining the actual snapshot in time.

Eugene Delacroix-Sultan of Morocco leaving his palace of mek.

Eugene Delacroix (French, 1798-1863)
Eugene Ferdinand Victor Delacroix was born in Saint- Maurice-Charenton France in 1798 and became known as a leader of the French romantic movement. Originally studying music, Delacroix turned his attentions to painting under the tutelage of Pierre-Narcisse Guerin in Paris. He enrolled at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1816 and successfully exhibited his first major work at the Salon of 1822, Dante and Virgil in Hell.

Eugene Delacroix-Frightened horse.

Delacroix’s subjects were often taken from literary works such as Shakespeare and Gothe, he painted from the poetry of Byron and created grand historical works. A visit to Morocco as part of an ambassadorial mission to the sultan inspired a leaning toward Orientalist themes. Further trips abroad to exotic places such as Spain and Tangiers furthered this passion. Toward the end of his lifetime, Delacroix was the target for much criticism and retired in seclusion though he remained greatly admired by the Impressionists of the day. Eugene Delacroix died in Paris in 1863.