Convulsionists of Tangier

Eugène Delacroix painted Convulsionists of Tangier in 1837–1838, based on sketches made during his transformative journey to North Africa in 1832. During his visit to Morocco, Delacroix witnessed the ecstatic rituals of the Aissaoua religious brotherhood, whose practitioners entered trance states through rhythmic music and movement. The experience profoundly affected Delacroix, providing him with a repertoire of subjects, colors, and atmospheric effects that he would mine for the rest of his career. The painting captures what Delacroix described as the living antiquity he discovered in North Africa.

Delacroix deploys his most vibrant palette to render the brilliant Moroccan sunlight and the vivid colors of North African costume. The composition captures the whirling energy of the ritual through dynamic, interlocking figures and agitated brushwork, while the warm golden light suffusing the scene demonstrates the revelation in color and atmosphere that Delacroix's North African journey provided.