Delacroix and the Rise of Modern Art
17 February – 22 May 2016
Sainsbury Wing
Delacroix and the Rise of Modern Art at the National Gallery
Few artists have had the same impact and lasting influence as Eugène Delacroix. He was the most famous and controversial French painter of his time, and one of the first modern masters.
“We all paint in Delacroix’s language.” Paul Cézanne
From the bold colours and abstract shapes of Matisse and Kandinsky, to the expressiveness of Van Gogh and Gauguin, to the vibrant complementary colours of the Impressionists. All can be traced back to Eugène Delacroix – the last painter of the Grand Style but equally one of the first modern masters, who transformed French painting in the 19th century.
‘Delacroix and the Rise of Modern Art’ is a long-overdue homage to France’s leading exponent of Romanticism – a true original, who at the time of his death in 1863, was the most revered artist among the avant-garde in Paris. Drawing inspiration from British art and literature, his real and imagined travels to North Africa, and biblical scenes; every chord of human passion can be found in Delacroix’s paintings – stories of love, murder, violence, and war. “The first merit of a painting is to be a feast for the eye”, he emphasised towards the end of his life.
Discover this revolutionary figure and explore his profound impact on generations of artists. Also featuring works by Cézanne, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Matisse and Kandinsky.
This exhibition is organised in collaboration with the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
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