Krijger met helm 1825

Eugène Delacroix sketched this warrior with a helmet in pencil, but we don't know exactly when. What we do know is that Delacroix was working in France, at a time of great social change. Delacroix's era was deeply interested in the classical world, and this image presents a romanticized figure of a classical warrior. The image references the grandeur of ancient civilizations but, it begs the question, what does this have to do with the current political climate? Throughout Delacroix's career, he was commissioned for public works. In the French academic system, it was common to see 'history painting' - paintings depicting historical or mythological scenes - that were created to subtly comment on contemporary society. By examining historical sources and Delacroix's body of work, we can develop a much deeper understanding of the social and institutional context surrounding this image.