Figure Drawing: Delacroix and photography

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Delacroix and photography

In the first part of 2009 the Musée national Eugène Delacroix, 6, rue de Furstemberg, 75006 Paris held an exhibition devoted to collecting for the first time all of Eugene Delacroix's photographic works and juxtaposing them with his art and studies for his art.

Here is a partial translation of the information about the show at the website Agence Germain Pire:

Delacroix was facing, like all his generation, the emergence of photography. A tool both intriguing and fascinating to the artist, the medium occupies a special place in all of his work. It is the source of a profound reflection on the artistic truth against the photographic realism.

Far from being regarded as a possible rival to painting, Delacroix read with interest the emergence and development of photography. He was a collector of photographic reproductions of works of art - paintings by Raphael, Rubens paintings or sculptures of the cathedral - although he did not take photographs himself he chose to have nude models, both male and female photographed by Eugène Durieu. He kept these snapshots with him. They were a valuable tool for drawing practice during his stay in the province. They meet the very personal criteria Delacroix had to use images intentionally somewhat vaguely and mostly stripped of all accessories picturesque stereotypes conveyed by the commercial attention of artists.

More images at:
Exposition "Delacroix et la photographie"

And another description of Delacroix's use of photography at All-Art.org. Chapter 3 - 1854 - Eugene Durieu/Eugene Delacroix - Nude from Behind

Paris, June 1854: working together, the painter Eugene Delacroix and the amateur photographer Eugene Du-rieu completed a series of nude photographs. The nearly three dozen studies that have survived constitute one of the artistic high points of early nude photography.

Art Knowledge News

Delacroix et la photographie - PaperBlog - Magazine Beaux Arts

Art Blart - ‘Delacroix and Photography’ exhibition at Museum Eugène Delacroix, Paris

Delacroix et la photographie au musée Delacroix -Buzzeum

The catalog of the exhibition: