Who painted L'Entrée des croisés à Constantinople?

L'Entrée des croisés à Constantinople was painted by Edgar Degas in 1860.

Where can I see L'Entrée des croisés à Constantinople?

L'Entrée des croisés à Constantinople is held by Kunsthaus Zürich.

What movement is L'Entrée des croisés à Constantinople?

L'Entrée des croisés à Constantinople is associated with Realism.

Artwork

L'Entrée des croisés à Constantinople

Edgar Degas , 1860

L'Entrée des croisés à Constantinople is an oil painting by the Realist artist Edgar Degas. It dates from 1860 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1860, this oil on canvas by Edgar Degas—titled L'Entrée des croisés à Constantinople—belongs to the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich. The work presents a bustling, disorderly scene that captures a moment of conflict, rendered in a restrained palette of browns and reds.

Subject & Meaning

The composition portrays a crowded waterfront where figures scramble amid chaos: some stand upright, others lie prone, suggesting injury or collapse. Flags flutter above a cloudy sky, hinting at a military or crusading context, while the water in the background underscores the setting of a contested landing.

Technique & Style

Degas employs muted earth tones to convey the somber mood, using loose brushwork that emphasizes movement and tension. The arrangement of bodies in varied poses creates a dynamic diagonal flow, guiding the viewer’s eye across the tumultuous tableau.

History & Provenance

Since its completion, the painting has remained within institutional holdings, eventually entering the Kunsthaus Zürich’s collection, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s 19th‑century European holdings.

Artist & collection

Artist

Edgar Degas

Born Hilaire-Germain-Edgar De Gas on 19 July 1834 in Paris, Edgar Degas came from an affluent banking family with aristocratic roots and spent his childhood among the cultivated circles of the French capital.