Studies of Horses, Hands, and Feet (recto); Studies of Heads and Figures (verso)

Eugène Delacroix French

Not on view

Delacroix’s teacher Guérin advocated for the study of nature over imitating the antique. This proved fundamental to the younger artist’s development. He later wrote, "It is generally acknowledged that what is known as creation in the great painters is only a special manner in which each of them saw, coordinated, and rendered nature." Delacroix’s general manner of "coordinating and rendering nature" was summary, a quality exemplified in this study sheet of horses, hands, and feet observed from multiple angles. With minimal strokes of the pen, he could convey the quality of something seen.

Studies of Horses, Hands, and Feet (recto); Studies of Heads and Figures (verso), Eugène Delacroix (French, Charenton-Saint-Maurice 1798–1863 Paris), Pen and brown and iron gall ink (recto); graphite, pen and iron gall ink, brush and brown wash (verso) on blue-green paper

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