*** artists illustrating boys fashions: Eugene Delacroix








Artists Illustrating Boys' Fashions: Eugene Delacroix (France, 1798-1863)

 Eugene Delacroix

Figure 1.--A popular 1830 Parisian insurection deposed Charles and his reactionary regime. A popular assembly elected a new liberal king, Louis Phillipe, the former Duke of Orleans. Now Delacroix could express his passions and the result was his masterpiece--"Liberty Leading the People" (1830). It is one of the best known paintings of history. It shows Parisians who have taken up arms, marching forward against tyranny under the tricolor banner of the Revolution. Notice the youths featured prominately in the painting.

Eugene Delacroix is one of the most recognizable French artists. He is difficult, however, to place in a specudic school of art. Baudelaire, a noted art expert wrote, "The last of the great artists of the Renaissance and the first modern". He is generally comsidered the most important French Romantic painters. He is noted for expressive brushstrokes and his use of color. Art historians believe he was a majoe influence on the Impressionists. He is noted for his dramatic historical and mythological scenes. He was a child of the Revolution. After the restoration of the Bourbons (1814) he could not paint scenes of the Revolution. He did paint with passion about the Greek struggle for independence against the Ottomans. The peoople of Paris knew how to get rid of unwanted kings. A popular 1830 Parisian insurection deposed Charles and his reactionary regime. A popular assembly elected a new liberal king, Louis Phillipe, the former Duke of Orleans. Now Delacroix could express his passions and the result was his masterpiece--"Liberty Leading the People" (1830). It is one of the best known paintings of history. It shows Parisians who have taken up arms, marching forward against tyranny under the tricolor banner of the Revolution (figure 1). Notice the youths featured prominately in the painting. Louis-Philippe's government purchased the painting, but thought it to inflamatory to display. Children occassionaly appear in Delacroix's canvasses. He also did portraits, but I do not know of any children he painted.

Eugene Delacroix (1798-1863)

Eugene Delacroix is one of the most recognizable French artists. He is difficult, however, to place in a specudic school of art. Baudelaire, a noted art expert wrote, "The last of the great artists of the Renaissance and the first modern". He is generally comsidered the most important French Romantic painters. He is noted for expressive brushstrokes and his use of color. Art historians believe he was a major influence on the Impressionists. He is noted for his dramatic historical and mythological scenes. He was a child of the Revolution. After the restoration of the Bourbons (1814) he could no longer paint scenes of the Revolution. He was allowed to paint about the Greek struggle for independence against the Ottomans abd did so with passion. After the Revolution of 1830, Delacroix could express his passions about France. Children occassionaly appear in Delacroix's canvasses. He also did portraits, but I do not know of any children he painted.

Revolution of 1830

The peoople of Paris knew how to get rid of unwanted kings. King Charles Xwas determined to bring back the Ancien Régime. Charles promulgated restrictive ordinances (July 26) that clearly violated the spirit of the Charter of 1814. Protests and demonstrations broke out and not just in Paris. Three days of street fighting occured in Paris (July 27–29). A popular 1830 Parisian insurection deposed Charles and his reactionary regime.Charles could see that he had miscalculated and lost contol, but was determined to still save the monarchy. He abdicated (August 2), but wanted 10-year-old grandson, Henri, Duke of Bordeaux to replace him. Charles appointed Louis Philippe 'Lieutenant général du royaume', and tasked him with seeing that his grandson succeed him and work with elected Chamber of Deputies to achieve this. And at first Louis Philippe acted as Henri's regent. Louis-Philippe decided, however, to use the opportunity to proclaim himself 'king of the French' (August 9). Note he did not proclaimm himself King of France, but king of the French people. This was the title that Louis XVI had adopted in the early phase of the Revolituion (1791). This essentially linked the monarchy to the people rather than a territory. Louis Philippe's bold ursurptation was possible because the Deputies in the Chamber were aware of Louis-Philippe's liberal orientation and his resulting popularity with the populace. A popular assembly elected a new liberal king, Louis Phillipe, the former Duke of Orleans.

Liberty Leading the People

The Revolution of 1830 removed the restrictions on Delacroix. The result was his masterpiece--"Liberty Leading the People" (1830). It is surely one of the best known paintings of history. It shows Parisians who have taken up arms, marching forward against tyranny under the tricolor banner of the Revolution (figure 1). Notice the youths featured prominately in the painting. Delecroix was a leader in the symbolic movement. It would have pleased him to no end that that Liberty became the virtual symbol of the French Republic, appearing on inumerable postage stamps. She was also of course an influence on the future statue of liberty--interesting as so few French people came to America. Louis-Philippe's government purchased the painting, but thought it to inflamatory to display. Following the Revolution of 1848 that saw the end of the reign of King Louis Philippe, Delacroix' painting, "Liberty Leading the People", was finally put on display by the newly elected President, Napoleon III. Today, it is visible in the Louvre museum.

Boy with Two Pistols

A reader writes, "I think the boy with two pistols along side Liberty is a famous boy at the time." He is clearly a working class boy as can be seen by how he is dressed. One might think he was an aprentice boy. Notice that he has taken a white leather chest belt and pouch (with presumably the royal crest) off a dead soldier. I'm not sure what was kept there, but suspect anunition. We are not sure just what kind of headwear the boy is wearing. Is it a beret or tam? Note there is another boy at the left and the youth in a top hat is probably a university student." The boy holding the pistols on the right is sometimes thought to be an inspiration of the Gavroche character in Victor Hugo's classic 1862 novel, Les Mis�rables.







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Created: February 11, 2003
Last updated: 4:13 PM 2/5/2007