Armored Figure on Horseback (recto)
c. 1828
Delacroix captures the raw energy of a medieval knight charging into battle in this dynamic sketch. The armored figure sits tall on a dark, muscular horse, rendered with bold, sweeping strokes of brown wash that give the animal a sense of powerful motion. Surrounding the central duo are faint, ghostly pencil outlines of other figures, revealing the artist's brainstorming process as he worked out the composition. It's a perfect example of Romanticism's love for drama and movement, showing us the messy, exciting behind-the-scenes of a master at work.