L'Empereur Justinien composant ses instituts

Emperor Justinian Composing His Institutes from 1826 at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs shows Delacroix painting a historical subject of law and governance. The Byzantine emperor as lawgiver provided material for a scene of imperial authority. 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 composition presents the emperor at work with dramatic lighting and rich color. Delacroix's handling creates an image of imperial intellectual authority.