The Natchez

1822

Salon Debut: "The Barque of Dante"

Delacroix's first major painting, The Barque of Dante, was accepted by the Paris Salon of 1822; the work caused a sensation and was purchased by the state for the Luxembourg Galleries.

1824

Success of "The Massacre at Chios" at the Salon

Shown at the Salon of 1824, The Massacre at Chios, devoted to the tragedies of the Greek War of Independence, brought Delacroix genuine success: the authorities recognized him as the leading painter of the new Romantic style, and the painting was bought by the state.

1825

Journey to England

During a trip to England Delacroix visited Thomas Lawrence and Richard Parkes Bonington; the color and manner of English painting gave impetus to his subsequent work.

1831

"Liberty" at the Salon of 1831

Liberty Leading the People was enthusiastically received by the public at the Salon of 1831 and immediately acquired by the state for 3,000 francs for the throne room of the Luxembourg Palace.

1832

Journey to Spain and North Africa

As part of the diplomatic mission of Charles-Edgar de Mornay, Delacroix traveled to Morocco shortly after the French conquest of Algeria. The journey proved a turning point: he made dozens of sketches, and his impressions of North Africa nourished his art for the rest of his life.

1833–1837

Decoration of the Salon du Roi in the Palais Bourbon

From 1833 Delacroix received numerous commissions to decorate the public buildings of Paris; the first was his work on the Salon du Roi in the Chamber of Deputies at the Palais Bourbon, completed in 1837.