Sunday, 15 April 2012




Art: Delacroix's Massacre of Chios



The painting below is known as “Delacroix’s Massacre of Chios” ” by Eugène Delacroix, a French romantic artist, created during the romantic era - in the year of 1824. A dream-like atmosphere with natural elements is common to a number of masterpieces of Romanticism; ironically, in this painting Delacroix is trying to capture the real-life image of wartime whereas death and suffering are prominent. This piece, moreover, is a product of revolution, it reflect human's sacrifice in order to have freedom during the Greek War of Independence. To be specific, this four-meters painting is an imitation of the historical event Chios Massacre, in which tens thousands of Grecian were slaughter on the island of Chios by Ottoman troops in 1822. In this painting, there is a frieze-like displays of thirteen civilians - men, women, and children – have been gathered, by three Ottoman soldiers, and are ready for slaughter.  The background of the canvas appears to be in a desert with rendering of clouds altogether in a brownish and black colour, which creating a dark tones for this canvas. The fact that there is no life, plant, in the background also reinforces death, the sense of hopelessness for this piece. Hope you like it!


                                                      
                                   The Massacre at Chios (1824) by Eugène Delacroix. 

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