Study for part of the 'Justice' frieze, Palais Bourbon, Paris

Study for the Justice frieze at the Palais Bourbon from 1834 at the Fitzwilliam documents Delacroix's preparation for his major mural commissions. His decorative programs in Parisian public buildings represent his most ambitious works. Delacroix's method combined rapid, gestural underpainting with careful final glazing, creating surfaces of extraordinary richness and warmth; his studio practice was meticulous despite the apparent spontaneity of the results.

The preparatory study shows Delacroix working through compositional elements with characteristic color and energy. The fluid handling reveals his approach to large-scale decorative design.