A Staircase in Seville

A Staircase in Seville by Eugène Delacroix, executed in 1832, is a masterful example of the artist's direct and spontaneous travel sketches. This pivotal drawing was created using watercolor over graphite, a rapid technique Delacroix employed frequently during his influential six-month diplomatic journey through Spain and North Africa. This trip was instrumental in shaping the French Romantic movement's vision of the "Orient" and its neighboring cultures. The drawing captures an intimate, everyday corner of Seville, reflecting the Romantic fascination with unique architecture and exotic European locales.

Delacroix utilizes the fluid properties of watercolor to effectively capture the strong contrast between the sun-drenched outdoor plaza and the cool, deeply shadowed interior of the stairwell. The delicate graphite underdrawing provides the foundational structure, while vibrant yet controlled washes of color suggest the intense atmosphere and specific quality of Spanish light rather than rendering meticulous architectural detail. This focus on immediate visual sensation and mood is characteristic of the drawings Delacroix produced and collected during this formative period. The work documents a unique synthesis of Spanish setting and French Romantic sensibility, showcasing the speed and economy of line Delacroix mastered in his graphic output.

This significant piece remains part of the permanent collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, serving as a primary source for studying the development of Delacroix's Orientalist and travel-inspired interests. High-quality fine art prints derived from the original watercolor, especially those older works now considered to be in the public domain, are often widely distributed for academic study and enjoyment.