Eugène Delacroix (French, 1798–1863)
Arab Horseman Attacked by a Lion
INV-8150
Eugène Delacroix (French, 1798–1863)1849–50
Arab Horseman Attacked by a Lion
Eugène Delacroix (French, 1798–1863) →nineteenth century19th centuryromanticpaintingfrance
Date
1849–50
Medium
Oil on panel
Dimensions
43.9 × 38.1 cm (17 1/4 × 15 in.); Framed: 63.9 × 55.3 × 8.3 cm (25 1/8 × 21 3/4 × 3 1/4 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Potter Palmer Collection
Man and beast intertwine to form a single writhing body in this emotionally charged depiction of a lion attacking a horse and its rider. Through short, energetic brushstrokes and carefully manipulated contrasts of light and shadow, Eugène Delacroix imbued this imagined scene with action and drama. While many artists of the period explored the theme of man versus nature, depictions of Arab men entangled with wild animals served a specific propagandistic function, justifying the brutality of French colonial rule by depicting its subjects as violent and inhuman.
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