In 1823 he visited Moroccoas a member of an ambassadorial mission to the sultan. He also visited Algiers, Oran, Tangiers and southern Spain. His enthusiasm for these exotic worlds with their brilliant light and colours inspired him to paint and draw hundreds of works. He filled seven fat notebooks with brilliant watercolor sketches and notes. His continuing fascination with the exotic was revealed by Women of Algiers (1834; Louvre) and The Jewish Wedding (1839; Louvre). His powerful Entrance of the Crusaders into Constantinople (1841; Louvre) is a compelling, epic work of history painting.
Delacroix�s other major sources were the works and lives of major literary figures. In 1820 he made 17 bizarre and exciting lithographs for Goethe�s Faust. He used Shakespeare often in several media (e.g., Hamlet and Horatio in the Graveyard, 1839; Louvre). He was also inspired by turbulent scenes from the plays and poems of Byron (e.g., Combat of the Giaour and the Pasha, 1827; Art Inst. of Chicago), from the novels of Scott, and from a number of other literary works. He also created many strong paintings on religious themes.. Later in Paris he drew on his experiences and travels to paint some of his most famous works including the famous harem scenes and the series of lion hunts.
Mounting criticism caused Delacroix to retire into seclusion towards the end of his life, and he died in complete isolation in 1863.
Below are some of my favourite Delacroix paintings.
Dante and Virgil in Hell
Women of Algiers
Cleopatra and the Peasant
The Sultan of Morocco and His Entourage
The Entry of the Crusaders into Constantinople
