Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), Romantic Painter

1^stimage: Soirée; 2^nd: Gravure by Gigoux (1864); 3^rd: Auto portrait (1837); 4^th: caricature by Eugène Giraud drawn mid 1850 at Nieuwerkerke's soirée; 5^th: caricature drawn by Giraud in 1856.

Eugène Delacroix was regarded as one of France’s greatest Romantic painters, alongside Jean Ingres³⁹ and Ary Scheffer^41a. A regular guest at de Nieuwerkerke’s vendredi-soirées from June 1850 until his death in 1863, he was the only figure to be caricatured twice by Giraud¹¹. In the second caricature, Giraud depicted Delacroix wearing the cravate rouge of a Commander of the Legion of Honor, a distinction he received on November 14, 1855.
Born in April 1798, Delacroix’s parentage has long been a subject of speculation. At the probable time of his conception, his father suffered from a large 14 kg tumor on one of his testicles, making procreation seemingly impossible. The tumor was removed in late September 1797. Some theories suggest Delacroix was the son of the influential politician Talleyrand; however, given his striking resemblance to his brother Charles, his father—formerly a French minister in the Batavian Republic—may have remained physically capable of fatherhood.

Delacroix arrived in Paris in 1815 to study under Guérin, where he befriended Scheffer. The following year, he was admitted to the École des Beaux-Arts and soon developed an admiration for the works of David. Like Scheffer, his early paintings focused on classical themes inspired by Dante, before transitioning to revolutionary subjects in 1830.
In early 1832, Delacroix embarked on a six-month journey to Morocco with the Count de Morny⁴⁸, which profoundly influenced his artistic direction. This expedition provided inspiration for a series of paintings and watercolors depicting North African society, rich in vibrant colors and dynamic compositions. His works frequently portrayed violent action and intense emotion.