Jakob ringt mit dem Engel

Jacob Wrestling with the Angel from 1850 at the Belvedere in Vienna relates to the monumental mural on this subject at Saint-Sulpice. The Old Testament struggle between human will and divine power was a subject that resonated with Delacroix's artistic philosophy. Delacroix executed the work with his characteristic broken, energetic brushwork and rich colorism, building up his surfaces in ways that directly influenced the Impressionists who studied his technique at the Louvre after his death.

The wrestling figures are rendered with dynamic energy and warm palette. Delacroix's handling of the physical struggle creates an image of spiritual combat.