In the Marais, the escapades of the very romantic Eugène Delacroix

Portrait of Eugène Delacroix, Nadar, National Library, Paris, France / Bridgeman Images

Next to the Saint-Paul metro station (4th), Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis church houses a youthful canvas ofEugène Delacroix (1798-1863) completed in 1827: Christ in the Garden of Olives. Facing three weeping angels, the icon lowers its head and raises its arm towards the sky. 600 meters away, rue de Turenne (3rd), in the chapel of the church of Saint-Denys-Saint-Sacrement There is another painting: the Pieta, Christ taken down from the cross.

Christ in the Garden of Olives, Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863), 1827, oil on canvas, 294 x 362 cm, Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis church

Although he lived in the 9th arrondissement, Eugène Delacroix decorated these two churches in the Marais district. But who was this representative of XNUMXth-century Romanticism? A French painter born in Charenton-Saint-Maurice, he never knew that his birthplace is now the media library of this town in the Val-de-Marne region.

The pity, Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), 1844

At his birth, his father, Charles Delacroix, Minister of Foreign Affairs, became the Dutch ambassador. Appointed prefect of Marseille and Bordeaux, he died when Eugène was six years old. His mother, Victoire, was the daughter of one of the greatest cabinetmakers of his time, Jean-François Oeben, in the service of Louis XV. The youngest of four siblings, Eugène was raised by his mother. With the older children already grown, he enjoyed a pampered childhood with her on Rue de l'Université in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. A brilliant student, he studied at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand, but lost his mother, his pillar of strength, in 1814.

His elders, Charles and Henriette, comforted him. Thanks to the support of his painter uncle, Henri-François Riesener, he entered the studio of the painter Pierre-Narcisse Guérin in 1815. It was one of the largest studios of the time. However, the artist missed Eugène's talent. In 1822, Eugène, then 24, created his first large canvas inspired by the literary story Dante and Virgil in the Underworld (Louvre Museum). This work immediately brought him to the attention of critics. He then embodied the Romantic movement.

The Barque of Dante, Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), 1822, Oil on canvas, 189 × 241,5 cm, Louvre Museum

Let's not forget that Delacroix was a contemporary of Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Hector Berlioz, and Alfred de Musset. As a great connoisseur of the art of the Old Masters, he frequented the Louvre, which opened in 1793, admiring the works of Raphael, Michelangelo, Titian, and Poussin. Other exhibitions followed, propelling him to the forefront of the artistic scene of the time.

In 1832, during a trip to Morocco, he accompanied the emissary of King Louis-Philippe, Count de Mornay. The conquest of Algeria by France two years earlier had worried the Sultan of Morocco. Therefore, an embassy was needed on site. For the young painter, who had hardly moved until then, the journey from Tangier to Meknes was a delight. The objects brought back from this trip would inspire sixty-two paintings upon his return.

A significant portion of his work was linked to Parisian religious buildings. He received commissions and painted the decor for the library of the Luxembourg Palace (now the Senate). The first World's Fair in 1855 provided him with a major stage. Thirty of his works were exhibited, earning him the title of greatest painter of his time.

Portrait of the artist, Eugène Delacroix, 1825 / 1850 (2nd quarter of the XNUMXth century), Ecole de France

Never married, this discreet man secretly fell in love with a young English woman, Elisabeth Salter, after his mother's death. He immortalized this platonic love in a portrait. Then there was Laure, who posed for Odalisque with a Parrot, and also Hélène. And a few others, including a mixed-race woman he called "Aline the Mulatto." Intimate relationships were commonplace within the confines of the studios, as long as they remained secret. He later had an affair with a young dancer, Eugénie Dalton, whom he met in his studio. Eugène-Eugénie, what a destiny! Regarding her husband, she wrote to him: "I do my best to make sure he is cuckolded as beautifully as possible." Eugène broke away from Eugénie in 1830, tired of their mutual infidelities.

It was around 1834 that he met George Sand, who was in the midst of a breakup with Alfred de Musset. Her suffering is evident in Delacroix's portrait of her. Their friendship lasted until the painter's death. But we cannot ignore Elisa Boulanger, the Brigitte Bardot of the moment, who appeared in his life. A woman for men, she was surprised by the coldness of Delacroix, who understood very well how to trap this kind of diva: he played indifference. Together, they traveled to Belgium and Holland.

Portrait of George Sand, Eugene Delacroix, 1838, Private Collection / Bridgeman Images

In 19th-century French painting, Eugène Delacroix is considered the leader of Romanticism. Baudelaire admired him: "Nature is only a dictionary," to which painters gave a completely new physiognomy. "I don't like reasonable painting," Delacroix wrote in his journal. He died prematurely at home in the 6th arrondissement in 1863, accompanied by his maid.

Text: Valérie Rodrigue

11.04.25

In the Marais, the escapades of the very romantic Eugène Delacroix

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