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Freedom Guiding the People by Delacroix

Even those who haven't yet had the chance to see it at the Musée du Louvre are familiar with Eugène Delacroix's “Liberty Guiding the People”. Through the many tributes and detour this work has inspired over nearly 2 centuries, it is the most famous French painting in the world (to which a recent restoration has added even more lustre).

Let's look at some of the reasons why it has become so unavoidable:

 

  • Its theme: contrary to popular belief, this oil on canvas does not represent the French revolution of 1789 but that of 1830 : to combat an attack on the freedom of the press, people took to the streets to demand the removal of King Charles X.
  • It's treatment: by choosing a woman reavealing her chest as an allegory (evocation of an idea in a human form) and representing her in a very realistic way (using contemporary clothes, accessories), Delacroix breaks away from the rules of classical painting and its ideal of perfect beauty
  • Its subject: a noble genre by excellence, historical paintings normally represent ancient and glorious moments. Here the leader of the Romantics illustrates a current event (he witnessed the riots) that embarrassed even the successor of the fallen king: Louis-Philippe Ist was indeed very hesitant to purchase a painting showing the French people rebelling against power.


A universal theme and breaking the rules of art : in both substance and form, this work is revolutionary and it certainly explains its posterity, a perfect concentrate of the rebellious French spirit.

To go further in the discovery of the great painter, the Eugène Delacroix museum (located in his former workshop) awaits you in Paris.

Names of the artists who carried out the diversions illustrating this article (in order): Alexandre Lepage, Plantu, Pierre Adrien Sollier. 

 

Valérie from Comme des Français

 

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Want to know more about 19th century French painting?
- Gustave Courbet the scandalous
- A typical art museum of the time
- The incredible Caillebotte house