Eugène Delacroix

Birth Name:

Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix

Birth Date:

April 26, 1798

Birth Place:

Saint-Maurice, Val-de-Marne, France

Death Date:

August 13, 1863

Place of Death:

6 rue de Furstemberg, 75006 Paris, France

Age:

Cause of Death:

Throat infection

Cemetery Name:

Cimetière du Père Lachaise

Claim to Fame:

Artists

Eugène Delacroix was a French Romantic artist who was regarded as the leader of the French Romantic school. In contrast to the Neoclassical perfectionism of his chief rival Ingres, Delacroix took for his inspiration the art of Rubens and painters of the Venetian Renaissance, with an attendant emphasis on colour and movement rather than clarity of outline and carefully modelled form. Dramatic and romantic content characterized the central themes of his maturity, and led him not to the classical models of Greek and Roman art, but to travel in North Africa, in search of the exotic. Delacroix was trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and quickly gained attention for his dramatic, expressive style. His breakthrough came with the painting La Barque de Dante (1822), which was showcased at the Salon and received acclaim for its bold use of color and intense emotion. This set the stage for other iconic works, such as Liberty Leading the People (1830), a powerful allegorical depiction of the July Revolution in France. Delacroix's use of vivid colors, dynamic compositions, and passion in his works became a hallmark of Romanticism. Throughout his career, Delacroix was inspired by literature, history, and contemporary events, drawing from sources like Shakespeare, Byron, and the Bible. His works often depicted intense emotions, dramatic landscapes, and scenes of violence and heroism. He was also influenced by the art of the Dutch Masters and the emerging techniques of the Impressionists, though he remained primarily associated with the Romantic tradition. Delacroix's later years were marked by a move toward lighter, more fluid compositions. Though he never embraced the academic style of the time, he remained a prominent figure in French art circles. His legacy deeply influenced generations of artists, including the Impressionists, particularly in terms of color theory and the expressive use of brushwork. He died at his home in 1863, leaving behind a legacy as one of the great masters of 19th-century art. He was interred at Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris, France.

Fun Facts

Upon his death, at the sale of his life’s work in 1864, 9140 works were attributed to Delacroix, including 853 paintings, 1525 pastels and water colours, 6629 drawings, 109 lithographs, and over 60 sketch books.

Of his completed works of art, those NOT included in the sale were his public commissions. From 1833 on Delacroix received numerous commissions to decorate public buildings in Paris. In that year he began work for the Salon du Roi in the Chambre des Députés, Palais Bourbon, which was not completed until 1837, and began a lifelong friendship with the female artist Marie-Élisabeth Blavot-Boulanger. For the next ten years he painted in both the Library at the Palais Bourbon and the Library at the Palais du Luxembourg. In 1843 he decorated the Church of St. Denis du Saint Sacrement with a large Pietà, and from 1848 to 1850 he painted the ceiling in the Galerie d’Apollon of the Louvre. From 1857 to 1861 he worked on frescoes for the Chapelle des Anges at the Church of Saint-Sulpice in Paris. They included “Jacob Wrestling with the Angel”, “Saint Michael Slaying the Dragon”, and “The Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple”. These commissions offered him the opportunity to compose on a large scale in an architectural setting, much as had those masters he admired, Paolo Veronese, Tintoretto, and Rubens.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Cimetière du Père Lachaise

16 Rue du Repos, 6ème division, Chemin Lesseps

Paris, , 75020

France

Europe

Map:

Map of Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris, France

Grave Location:

Division 49

Grave Location Description

As you enter the cemetery through the main entrance, walk straight ahead to Avenue Transversale N-1. Turn left and walk to the second, smaller Division 49 where you will find the elaborate tomb of the legendary artist Eugène Delacroix on the left on the avenue named for him.

Grave Location GPS

48.861980, 2.392930

Photos:

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FAQ's

Eugène Delacroix was born on April 26, 1798.

Eugène Delacroix was born in Saint-Maurice, Val-de-Marne, France.

Eugène Delacroix died on August 13, 1863.

Eugène Delacroix died in 6 rue de Furstemberg, 75006 Paris, France.

Eugène Delacroix was 65.

The cause of death was Throat infection.

Eugène Delacroix's grave is in Cimetière du Père Lachaise

Videos Featuring Eugène Delacroix:

The French Enigma Who Led The School Of Romantic Painters

Delacroix, Liberty Leading the People

Eugene Delacroix: A collection of 136 paintings

Ferdinand Victor Eugène Delacroix: Master of Romanticism

The Met’s 'Delacroix' exhibit shows the artist in full

See More:

Amedeo Modigliani

popular name: Amedeo Modigliani

date_of_death: January 24, 1920

age: 35

cause_of_death: Tubercular meningitis

claim_to_fame: Artists

best_know_for: Amedeo Modigliani was an Italian-born artist who moved to Paris in 1906, where he became known for his distinctive portraits and nudes, characterized by a surreal elongation of faces, necks, and figures — works that were not received well during his lifetime. His style evolved under the influence of various modernist movements, including post-impressionism, cubism, and African art. Modigliani's work often featured an intimate, sensual quality, with a focus on the human figure. Modigliani's life was marked by struggles, including poor health and financial hardship. He battled tuberculosis throughout much of his life, and his bohemian lifestyle in Paris exposed him to both the highs and lows of the city's artistic circles. He was known for his relationships with fellow artists including Pablo Picasso, Maurice Utrillo, Soutine and Constantin Brâncuși, as well as with several prominent women, including Jeanne Hébuterne, who was his muse and companion. Largely unrecognized during his lifetime, Modigliani sold most of his works, but never for any great amount of money and often for a meal or rent. Modigliani gained significant recognition after his death at age 35 where he died from complications of tubercular meningitis. Today, his works—especially his portraits and nudes—have since become highly valued with the sale of Nu couché (1917–18) sold at auction for $170.4 million in 2015 to billionaire Liu Yiqian. Today, he is considered one of the most influential artists of the early 20th century. Upon his death, he was buried in Cimetière du Père-Lachaise in Paris, France.

Eugène Delacroix