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Spring - Eurydice bitten by a snake while she was picking flowers (the death of Eurydice)
- Original dimensions
- 166 x 197.5 cm
- Museum
- São Paulo Museum of Art
- Year
- 1850
Scene depicted
In this work, Delacroix stages the tragic drama of Eurydice, bitten by a snake while picking flowers. This decisive moment, at the crossroads of mortality and beauty, is a powerful representation of the irreversibility of fate. The flowers, often a symbol of life, here become the vector of death, creating a tension between the natural and the horrific.
Historical context
Artwork: The Spring - Eurydice Bitten by a Snake While Picking Flowers (the Death of Eurydice) |BRK| Artist: Eugène Delacroix |BRK| Year: 1850 |BRK| Museum: São Paulo Museum of Art |BRK| Dimensions: 166 x 197.5 cm |BRK|
Place in the artist's career
This painting is a milestone in Delacroix's career, marking the peak of his Romantic style. Both an expansion of his previous themes, as seen in “ Liberty Leading the People ,” and a precursor to his later works, it draws from human passion, bringing to life a distillation of emotions through this masterpiece.
Anecdote
“Art must provoke a thrill.” Thus, Eugène Delacroix described the very essence of his practice. Inspired by a spring walk, he found in the soft light of that morning the perfect tones for his composition. This spring emotion immerses the viewer in the visual power of the painting and reminds us that beauty and danger coexist.