Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait from 1832 at the Buhrle Foundation shows Delacroix during the year of his transformative Moroccan journey. The self-portrait captures the artist at a pivotal moment when his encounter with North Africa was revolutionizing his art. As the leading French Romantic painter, Delacroix brought passionate color and dynamic energy to all his subjects; his journal records his constant study of color relationships and his admiration for Rubens, Constable, and Veronese.

The portrait presents the artist with characteristic directness and rich palette. Delacroix's handling captures his own features with the psychological intensity he brought to all his portraits.