The Education of Achilles
The young Achilles, hero of Greek mythology, rides on the back of the centaur Chiron in this sketch for the library of the Palais Bourbon. The pair bound away from the viewer as Chiron instructs Achilles in the art of the hunt. The heavily reworked contour lines show Delacroix’s search for the desired form. The artist’s indication of several possible positions for the centaur’s legs contributes to the sense of movement in the drawing.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Education of Achilles
- Artist: Eugène Delacroix (French, Charenton-Saint-Maurice 1798–1863 Paris)
- Date: ca. 1844
- Medium: Graphite
- Dimensions: Overall: 9 5/16 x 11 11/16 in. (23.6 x 29.7 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Gift from the Karen B. Cohen Collection of Eugène Delacroix, in honor of Emily Rafferty, 2014
- Object Number: 2014.732.3
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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Eugène Delacroix
Eugène Delacroix
1815–63
Eugène Delacroix
19th century
Multiple artists/makers
1852
Eugène Delacroix
1798–1863
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