The Education of Achilles 1839 - 1849

Eugène Delacroix rendered this drawing, The Education of Achilles, with graphite on paper. Here, we see the centaur Chiron, tutor to the hero Achilles, teaching him archery. Delacroix was working in France during a period that saw the rise of museums and art academies, institutions that codified artistic training. This drawing reflects the Neoclassical ideals promoted by such institutions, with its emphasis on mythological subjects and precise draftsmanship. However, Delacroix was also a key figure in the Romantic movement, which valued emotional expression over strict academicism. This drawing likely reflects the artist’s training within a particular institutional framework, while also emphasizing the role of education in shaping cultural values. Art historians consider the social context to understand the forces that shape artistic production, consulting historical texts, exhibition records, and critical reviews to understand the artwork's place in its time.