EugèneDelacroix
Eugène Delacroix, born on April 26, 1798, was the leading figure of the French Romantic movement from the beginning of his career. Unlike the Neoclassical preciseness of Ingres, Delacroix's art was guided by the opulent use of color and dynamic forms, reminiscent of Rubens and the Venetian Renaissance. Rather than draw from Greek or Roman ideals, Delacroix sought the exotic, which led him to North Africa. His work, infused with dramatic and romantic elements, echoed the spirit of his contemporaries, such as the poet Lord Byron and artist Théodore Géricault.
Delacroix's romance with passion was balanced by a desire for clarity in its expression, earning him Charles Baudelaire's admiration for his fervor and precision. His legacy, carrying equal weight with Ingres, positions him among the venerable "old Masters" and marks him as an early figure to be photographed.
In his practice, Delacroix not only excelled in painting and mural work but also influenced the Impressionists with his bold brushwork and fascination with color. He left an imprint on the Symbolist artists with his penchant for the exotic. Besides his paintings, Delacroix was a master lithographer, interpreting literary greats like Shakespeare, Walter Scott, and Goethe with his illustrations.