Study for "The Sultan of Morocco and His Entourage" 1850 - 1860

Eugène Delacroix made this graphite sketch as a study for his painting, "The Sultan of Morocco and His Entourage." Delacroix’s Orientalist paintings reflect France’s colonial ambitions in North Africa in the 19th century. France's conquest of Algeria in 1830 fueled European fascination with the "exotic" cultures of the region. Delacroix visited Morocco in 1832 as part of a diplomatic mission and was struck by what he perceived as the timelessness and authenticity of Moroccan life, in contrast to the perceived artificiality of modern European society. Consider how Delacroix’s image reinforces a colonial power dynamic, casting the Sultan as an object of European interest. Art historians look at travel journals, diplomatic records, and the writings of other artists and intellectuals from the time to better understand the context in which the art was produced. The meaning of this study, like any artwork, is contingent on the social and institutional forces that shaped both its creation and reception.