Delacroix Hardcover – September 25, 2018

This lavish catalog of the Delacroix exhibit at the Met follows the artist’s meteoric rise to fame — and showcases his novel subject matter, his theatrical sense of composition, his vibrant palette and his vigorous brushwork.Delacroix belonged to no school, and his subjects assume extensive literary and historical knowledge on the part of the viewer — knowledge more common in the nineteenth century than now. This book helps us understand his themes and preoccupations. It also explores how contemporary world politics affected Delacroix’s world; the role of architecture in his paintings; how his grand-scale mural painting influenced his easel painting; and why some clergy were wary of having his paintings in their churches. Tidbits from Delacroix’s personal life add spice to the narrative.It’s fascinating to learn what contemporary critics admired (or deplored) in Delacroix’s work. It’s also fun to learn how Delacroix scorned and rose above criticism to remain true to himself.Delacroix’s vast diversity of work is well represented in the exhibit and in this book. And reading this book trains the eye to see the influences of Caravaggio, Constable, Rubens, Veronese, and Michelangelo in the paintings of Delacroix.As with many massive art books written by a bevy of experts, some chapters are scintillating; others get a bit tedious. I was riveted for the first half of this tome; then my attention flagged, picking up again towards the end. Regardless, I found this book very rewarding. It gave me a new appreciation of Delacroix, whose work has always been difficult for me. Since Cezanne and Picasso admired Delacroix, I knew I needed to dig deeper.The paintings are beautifully reproduced. The full page reproductions are especially luscious, exemplifying Delacroix’s belief that painting should be “a feast for the eye.”

pastel was not Delacroix's favorite medium but he used it for sketch work. the book is nicely written with nice illustrations depicting everything from studied nudes to studied shoes. if you are into Delacroix, then splurge, but you won't find Degas' plenitude.

While nominally an exhibition catalogue, this splendid synthesis replaces all previous efforts regarding this extraordinary master. Illustrations are copious, and the translation is remarkably fluent. Recommended without reservation.

This book is full of beautiful works of Delacroix, that are a real pleasure to discover, while essays describe how Delacroix become the great Romantic painter that we know today. The most fascinating part of the book was an essay titled “Fame Is Not an Empty Word”: 1822-32. It was very interesting to learn how Delacroix started his career as a painter, how he fought for recognition of his works and how he experimented with colours, technique, composition and addition of live models. The essay was enriched by excerpts from journals written by the young Delacroix. His passion and ambition could set pages of the journals alight. How touching that at the beginning he thought himself fickle, weak of character and worked hard to become a better man. Life brought him in equal part passion and disappointment.The career of Delacroix as a painter started with a bang with his paintings shown at the Salons of the 1820s. Delacroix knew how to inflame imagination and dazzle his audience by brilliance of colours and original themes. His works were immediately admired by critics and the public. He achieved great fame and recognition. I read with interest about the creation of his early works, that I know well. My favourite masterpiece of Delacroix is “The Death of Sardanapalus” painted 1826-27 and I enjoyed reading about its creation and reception. It is funny to think that such a masterpiece was criticised and frowned upon. Critics reacted with indignation and the painting was a huge scandal.This book will be a great treat for every fan of art, Romanticism and Delacroix in particular. Essays are interesting and pictures in the book are beautiful and show the best works of Delacroix.

This monograph accompanies the exhibition at the Met. The essays are biography as well as critiques. The illustrations included are beautifully reproduced. The essays also include a lot of history and influences on Delacroix. I really enjoy reading about the stories behind the paintings and seeing the paintings evolve from sketches. This beautiful book will make a wonderful gift. Enjoy

Delacroix is one of the masters of his time. If I can't see his works then this book would take you into every museum in the world. Vivid, beautiful details of his work through the years of his life, with fabulous info on his life. A few extras are other artist's paintings during the 1840s-1850s. It's a plus for any art major to enthusiast. A wonderful addition to any library and coffee table. Thank you for NetGalley for a copy; I loved it!

Absolutely beautiful and very enjoyable book, filled with a big number of artworks of the painter, many of them I've seen the first time. The text is very informative and entertaining, so if you like Delacroix, want to know him better and have time to read more than 300 pages, this volume is highly recommended.