Liberty Leading The People Analysis

Presented in 1830, Eugène Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People is an oil painting on canvas. Its measurements are 260 by 325 cm or 8.5 by 10.67 ft. This grand size adds significance to the subject matter. Liberty Leading the People is currently being displayed in the Musée du Louvre. Although there is not an official patron, the work was created to acknowledge the demolition of the rule by Louis-Philippe. In essence, it is an admission to celebrate the July Revolution of 1830. With the depiction of an important event and the towering size, Liberty Leading the People is a history painting belonging to the Romantic period that managed to band together realism with a physical allegory. In the renowned style of Romanticism, Delacroix painted
Romanticism merges heroism and violence in order to convey the grandeur and intensity needed to promote the intended statement. Delacroix was the leader of the Romantic School in French work and so Liberty Leading the People incorporates all its aspects (Laclotte, 1965). Liberty Leading the People is typical of the Romantic period because it evokes strong emotion, the boldness of colors are excited as they play a part in depicting the violent movement due to the heroic struggle between the French people against their oppressive government. The overall tone is subjective as this historical event was personal to Delacroix, his use of light and tenebrism is contrasted along with the effectiveness of the quick seamless brushstrokes and dynamic chiaroscuro. The chiaroscuro adds movement to the work as there is a need for Liberty and the men to move towards the light of a new era for France and leaving the gloomy dark periods of tyranny and struggle the people of France had to endure. Combined with the emotional quality, chiaroscuro establishes the work as an uprising, as a revolution. Due to the historical context, Liberty Leading the People behaves as a propaganda piece that ultimately celebrated the conquest of the French while glorifying their victory. Ultimately, this work brings together the ideals of liberty that brought forth the Revolution.
He learned the use of color by studying the works of Michelangelo and Rubens (Laclotte, 1965). Rubens was a significant inspiration as Delacroix drew motivation from Rubens’ flush palette. He became cultured in the treatment of colors as a way of authenticating the work’s emotion and underlying messages. Taking into account the humanistic view Rubens had, Delacroix aspired to mimic the dramatic feat as human nature won over the forces of anarchy and injustice. Along with the inspiration of other artists, Delacroix’s relationship to Liberty Leading the People as well as his other works are tied into his psychology and what he experienced. As Delacroix witnessed events related to the Revolution, he painted Liberty Leading the People to become a political message of French pride. Delacroix’s works have constant theme of violence, chaotic figures, bold colors, and liberated dynamism. Liberty Leading the People was no different, it was made to invoke reactions. While writing to his brother (a general), Delacroix confessed, "Since I have not fought and conquered for the fatherland I can at least paint on its behalf…I have undertaken a modern subject, а barricade, and if I have not fought for my country, at least I will paint for [Liberty]." Although Delacroix had no interest in politics, his attitude changed as the political crisis in France