Shop art print and framed art La Grèce sur les ruines de Missolonghi by Eugène Delacroix

Greece on the ruins of Missolonghi: an emblematic work by Eugène Delacroix

Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi, painted in 1826 by Eugène Delacroix, is an emblematic work of French Romanticism, produced at a time when Europe was marked by revolutionary movements seeking to shake off the yoke of authoritarian empires. The painting, a 213 × 142 cm oil on canvas housed at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Bordeaux, is set in a particular historical context: the Greek War of Independence.

It was precisely during the siege of Missolonghi, in 1825-1826, that the struggle between the Greeks and the Ottomans reached its climax. Despite extremely difficult conditions, the besieged town held out valiantly for almost a year. Finally weakened by famine and disease, Missolonghi fell into the hands of the Ottomans, who massacred a large part of the population. The town then became the symbol of this heroic resistance.

This tragic event caused a stir in Europe, and Delacroix, a fervent philhellene, was deeply moved by the fate of Greece. He produced this work for an exhibition to raise funds to support the Greek cause. The painting also pays tribute to Lord Byron, the committed poet who had died in Missolonghi two years earlier.

Personified Greece: a strong, symbolic central figure

The canvas features a pyramidal composition, structured around the central figure of Greece. The background, dark and chaotic, evokes the ruins of Missolonghi. Smoke rises from the rubble, suggesting the violence of the fighting. The brighter foreground highlights the allegorical figure of Greece. The light creates a dramatic contrast, accentuating the expressiveness of the scene. The overall atmosphere is one of sadness and desolation, but also of dignity and courage.

In the centre of the painting is an allegory of Greece, represented by a woman with noble features and a dignified expression. Dressed in traditional Greek garb, she stands over the ruins of the destroyed city. However, her upright posture and proud gaze bear witness to her resistance and her unshakeable desire for freedom. This allegorical figure embodies both the tragedy of war and the hope of rebirth.

Symbolism of the elements of Greece on the ruins of Missolonghi by Delacroix

Each element of the painting is charged with meaning. The ruins of Missolonghi evoke destruction and suffering, but also the courage and sacrifice of the Greek people. The colours, dominated by blue, white and red, recall the Greek flag, reinforcing the viewer's identification with the Hellenic cause. The outstretched arm of a dead man, emerging from the rubble, underlines the horror of war and the price paid for freedom.

The sky is covered in dark clouds, adding to the sense of desolation and tragedy that pervades the work. However, a glimmer emanates from the horizon, the light illuminating Greece symbolising hope and the possibility of a better future for the battered Greek nation. This contrast of light and shadow is characteristic of the Romantic style, of which Delacroix is one of the leading exponents.

The role of Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi in Eugène Delacroix's career

An emblematic painter of the French Romantic movement, Eugène Delacroix is best known for his political and social commitment.

He passionately depicted the human dramas and socio-political upheavals that marked his era, as in La Liberté guidant le peuple (1830) or Scènes des massacres de Scio (1824). In his works, he sought to express the full force of feeling, eschewing the coldness of neoclassicism. In this way, he revolutionised French painting and influenced many later artists such as Gustave Courbet and Pablo Picasso. By offering a tragic tribute to the combatants of Greek patriots, Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi is perfectly in keeping with this committed and idealistic approach.

When it was exhibited at the 1826 Paris Salon, Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi elicited contrasting reactions from the public and critics alike. Supporters of Romanticism hailed the palpable emotion and evocative power of the work, which brilliantly translated the Greek and European national aspirations of the time, while detractors of the movement criticised Delacroix for a certain lack of realism in his depiction of the facts and criticised his overt desire to idealise the event.

Influence of Greece on the ruins of Missolonghi on European Romanticism

Delacroix's work also helped to reinforce Romantic artists' fascination with ancient and modern Greece. In their fight against political and social oppression, the rebellious Greeks were seen as the repositories of the democratic and civilising values held dear by Europeans.

This myth is notably found in the British poet Lord Byron, who took an active part in the Greek struggle for independence until his death in 1824.

Greece on the Ruins of Missolonghi, by virtue of its symbolic significance and artistic quality, thus stands out as an aesthetic and political manifesto of Romanticism in the early 19th century, resolutely turned towards the ideals of freedom and fraternity dramatised by Greek tragedy.

This artwork is a painting from the classical period. It belongs to the romanticism style.

« La Grèce sur les ruines de Missolonghi » is kept at Musée des Beaux-Arts, Brest, France.

Find the full description of La Grèce sur les ruines de Missolonghi by Eugène Delacroix on Wikipedia.