Artwork
Lion Devorant un Cheval (Lion Devouring a Horse)
Lion Devorant un Cheval (Lion Devouring a Horse) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Eugène Delacroix. It dates from 1844 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Lion Devorant un Cheval (Lion Devouring a Horse) is a lithograph on wove paper created by Eugène Delacroix in 1844. It is a print that showcases the artist's characteristic emphasis on dynamic movement and expressive energy.
Subject & Meaning
The lithograph depicts a dramatic scene of a lion attacking a horse, with the lion's jaws clamped onto the horse's neck and the horse's legs thrashing in distress, conveying a sense of intense violence and struggle.
Technique & Style
Delacroix employed rapid, gestural lines to capture the texture of the lion's fur and the horse's frantic movements, imbuing the scene with a sense of raw energy and spontaneity, characteristic of his mature style.
Context
As a leading figure of the French Romantic movement, Delacroix drew inspiration from the dramatic and expressive qualities of Rubens and the Venetian Renaissance, reflecting his emphasis on color and movement over classical precision.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix ( DEL-ə-krwah, -KRWAH; French: ; 26 April 1798 – 13 August 1863) was a French Romantic artist who was regarded as the leader of the French Romantic school.
