Selim and Zuleika
1857
In this dramatic scene from Lord Byron's poem 'The Bride of Abydos,' Delacroix captures the tragic lovers Selim and Zuleika in a moment of high tension. The man raises his curved sword while Zuleika clings to him, a pistol in her hand, her expression a mix of fear and determination. Painted in 1857, the loose, energetic brushstrokes are classic Romanticism, prioritizing raw emotion over perfect detail. Delacroix was absolutely obsessed with Byron's exotic tales, and this painting perfectly shows the couple's final, desperate moments before their tragic end. The dark, looming cliff behind them contrasts sharply with the bright sea, mirroring their turbulent fate.
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