Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

1998 marks the bicentennial of the birth of the great French romantic painter Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863). A pivotal figure in the history of 19th-century art, Delacroix stands both at the culmination of the great painterly tradition of Titian, Veronese, Rubens and Rembrandt and at the beginning of something quite new and modern, as witnessed by the reverence given to him by such artists as Renoir, Cezanne, Picasso and Matisse, who were profoundly influenced by his work.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Delacroix studies have mainly dealt with the work from his early and middle periods, that is, the time when he is most associated with other figures from the "Romantic" era--Gericault, George Sand, Berlioz, Chopin, and the spirit of aesthetic and social rebellion. This exhibition catalog showcased work from 1850 to 1863, the year of Delacroix's death. In one of the four introductory essays, Lee Johnson examines the degrees of continuity and change in subject and style between the periods. The most interesting essays, however, are those by Joseph Rishel, who discusses Delacroix's fortuna in America, and Vincent Pomar`ede's analysis of Delacroix's patronage and the important role government commissions, collectors, and dealers played in the artist's financial success. The catalog is arranged according to subject ("Felines and Hunts," "The Feeling for Nature," "Allegories and Myths," "Literary Inspiration," "The Lesson of Morocco," "Religious Aspiration," and "The Final Works."), each with an accompanying essay and color plate. Among the works are drawings and watercolors, and preparatory essays for finished or planned paintings. Many of the oils are unfamiliar; their reproduction here is a valuable contribution. Recommended. Undergraduate and graduate students; two-year technical program students. L. R. Matteson; University of Southern California