Figure Studies after Rubens’s ‘Fall of the Rebel Angels’ c. 1820 - 1822

These are figure studies in pencil by Eugène Delacroix, after Peter Paul Rubens’s ‘Fall of the Rebel Angels.’ The motif of falling figures, rendered with such dramatic dynamism, plunges us into the depths of human and divine conflict. Notice how Delacroix captures the spiraling descent and contorted bodies of the fallen angels. This echoes a theme found in ancient Greek depictions of the Titans' fall, embodying the consequences of hubris and rebellion. This motif taps into a deep-seated fear and fascination with chaos, present since the earliest myths. Consider the psychological impact of this imagery. The spiraling, disoriented figures evoke feelings of anxiety and helplessness, reflecting our own subconscious fears of failure and the unknown. The continuous reappearance of this motif through time underscores its enduring power to engage viewers on a visceral, emotional level. Ultimately, this composition is part of a continuous dialogue between artists and ages, each reinterpreting and reimagining the eternal struggle between order and chaos.