In connection with "Medieval Morocco: An Empire from Africa to Spain", the exhibition compares and contrasts paintings and drawings by Eugène Delacroix with objects that the artist brought back from his trip to North Africa in 1832.

Bequeathed by Delacroix to painter Charles Cournault, the memorabilia were then donated to the Musée Delacroix in 1952 by his heirs. Showcasing this remarkable part of the museum’s permanent collection, the exhibition provides insight into the realist and fantastical aspect of Delacroix’s Orientalist works. While his travels to Morocco provided an opportunity for the awe-struck young man to make hundreds of sketches and watercolors from first-hand observations, he would return to these Oriental subjects throughout his career until his death in 1863. His memories of Morocco mingled with an imaginary and sensitive vision nurtured by the literature and music of his time.

Made possible through prestigious loans from French museums and the dedication of Charles Cournault’s heirs, this exhibition takes us to the great artist’s studio to view the objects he collected and explore his connection to them, souvenirs of Morocco but also signs of his attachment to an imaginary Oriental world. It provides a new look at the Orientalist artwork of Delacroix in the very place it was created.

Organized by: Dominique de Font-Réaulx, Musée National Eugène-Delacroix