A Tomb and Studies of Windows in the Church of Valmont Abbey 1829 - 1831

Editor: This is "A Tomb and Studies of Windows in the Church of Valmont Abbey" created between 1829 and 1831 by Eugène Delacroix, using watercolor, ink, charcoal and paper. It's quite monochromatic, all browns and grays. What draws my eye are the various architectural forms. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The materiality itself speaks volumes. Look at the deliberate use of watercolor, ink, and charcoal on paper. Delacroix, celebrated for his painterly brushstrokes, is here, investigating architectural forms through these specific mediums. The choice to depict an abbey – a space defined by labor and spiritual devotion – through drawing directs us towards the artist's process, rather than a finished "masterpiece". How does the chosen material affect the viewing experience compared to, say, if this were a completed oil painting? Editor: I suppose watercolor and ink give it a sense of immediacy, a quick impression. An oil painting might have felt more… finished, removed. This feels like we're seeing the artist's raw observations. So you're saying the choice of a "humble" material adds to our understanding? Curator: Precisely! It flattens the hierarchy between the grandeur of the abbey and the artistic process of recording it. What’s created on site by Delacroix transforms our perception of architecture: it no longer embodies sacred function but reflects human interpretation and transformation through labour. Notice too how light interacts differently depending on how different areas receive washes versus sharp, focused ink. Editor: That makes me think about the accessibility of the artwork and the architectural site...thank you. Curator: Of course. Examining artistic choices can transform how we understand the cultural value we place on art itself.