Study of a Woman Viewed from Behind
1833
Medium
Etching on chine collé; second state of four
Dimensions
Plate: 4 7/16 × 6 5/16 in. (11.2 × 16.1 cm) Sheet: 8 7/8 × 12 5/16 in. (22.6 × 31.3 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1922
Accession Number
22.60.12
Tags
Art Historical Context
Eugène Delacroix, a towering figure of French Romanticism, created *Study of a Woman Viewed from Behind* in 1833, capturing the sensual curve of the female form in a intimate rear view. This etching reflects Delacroix's fascination with the human body as a vessel for emotion and movement, hallmarks of the Romantic movement that prized passion over classical restraint. Produced during a prolific period following his transformative 1832 trip to North Africa, the work likely served as a preparatory study, honing his observation of anatomy and light for larger paintings. Rendered in etching on ch...
About the Artist
Eugène Delacroix · 1798–1863
Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863) stands as the defining figure of French Romanticism and a pivotal bridge to modernism. Born in Charenton-Saint-Maurice near Paris, he came from distinguished lineage—his mother descended from the prestigious Oeben-Riesener furniture dynasty, while persistent speculation suggested the statesman Talleyrand may have been his biological father, a theory supported by physic...