Hamlet and His Mother 1849

Eugène Delacroix captured this dramatic scene from Hamlet using oil paints, a medium that allowed him to build up layers of color and texture. The way Delacroix applies the paint is crucial to understanding this work. Notice the loose, expressive brushstrokes, especially in the heavy curtain and the figures' costumes. This wasn't about creating a photographic likeness; it was about conveying emotion and atmosphere. The materiality of oil paint itself – its thickness, its capacity to be blended and manipulated – lends itself to the turbulent scene. You can almost feel the tension between Hamlet and his mother through the swirling brushwork and the contrast between light and shadow. The active brushwork also speaks to the labor involved in creating a painting like this, and the artist's expressive and individual touch. Considering the materials and the making process allows us to move beyond the narrative of the play and appreciate Delacroix's skill in using paint to evoke psychological drama.