Educational
ca. 1832-1848
French
Paintings
Works On Paper
watercolor on wove paper
Sheet: 9 1/2 × 6 9/16 in. (24.13 × 16.67 cm)
Mat: 19 × 12 1/2 in. (48.26 × 31.75 cm)
95.26
An ardent Romantic artist, Delacroix produced precise studies of the natural world. His watercolor sketch of a single Narcissus contains many of the qualities that would have been prevalent in scientific imagery, including careful attention to detail and a blank background—so that the plant appears to float on the surface of the page. A comparison with the adjacent unknown artist’s Primulas, which displays more concern with composition and creating a beautiful bouquet, confirms that Delacroix’s Narcissus is a study of a living plant.
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon
Experimental Lines: Impressionist and Postimpressionist Drawings from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon. VMFA, March 23, 2024 - January 1, 2025
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC

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