Two Studies of a Standing Indian from Calcutta c. 1823 - 1824

Editor: We’re looking at Eugène Delacroix's "Two Studies of a Standing Indian from Calcutta," painted around 1823-1824, crafted with oil paint. There’s a captivating immediacy to it; like we're catching a glimpse of a person. It has quite a Romantic feel. What do you see in it? Curator: Immediately, I see Delacroix wrestling with the "exotic" other, a fascination so palpable in 19th-century Romanticism and Orientalism. It's more than just observation; it's almost as if he's trying to absorb something of the man's essence. Look at how the light captures the figure from Calcutta. What kind of story might you invent about the man in the painting? Editor: Perhaps a traveler, making his way through a strange land. Or an artist, himself? Curator: Possibly! The beauty of a sketch like this is how little it tells and how much it evokes. Delacroix is planting seeds of thought in us; with those swaths of color and his fascination with capturing these people on canvas, he pushes boundaries, playing with ideas, not documenting reality as much as engaging with his own romantic ideals. Do you find that the way he is posing, has weight in a Romantic work? Editor: Absolutely. I can definitely see it. It seems a celebration of human expression and culture. Curator: Indeed! And isn't it funny how a quick study, meant perhaps only for the artist's eyes, can speak volumes to us centuries later? I think both this Romantic celebration, the vibrant oil on canvas and Delacroix have much to still tell to the modern day spectator. Editor: It's true, it definitely highlights how impactful capturing the feeling in the work can be and, more generally, art itself!