A Young Black Woman Fetching Water

"A Young Black Woman Fetching Water" by Eugène Delacroix, created in 1832, is an intimate and expressive example of the French Romantic master’s draftsmanship. The piece utilizes watercolor and graphite, skillfully heightened with gouache on paper, achieving a blend of immediate sketch-like quality and refined detail typical of Delacroix’s preparatory studies or finished works on paper. Classified as a drawing, this piece demonstrates the artist's ability to render human figures with profound sensitivity and evocative lighting.

This work was executed shortly after Delacroix’s transformative journey to North Africa (1831-1832), an experience that profoundly influenced his subject matter and palette, leading him to frequently depict scenes and figures from outside traditional European contexts. The focused composition centers on the solitary figure, capturing her in a moment of quiet industry as she carries a vessel, likely balanced on her head or shoulder. This fascination with the exotic and the power of individual figures cemented Delacroix's status as the leading French Romantic painter of his era.

The drawing is an essential artifact for understanding Delacroix’s varied media practice and his exploration of cultural subjects. This significant work is maintained within the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. As the artwork represents a key period of French artistic output, high-quality prints of the drawing are frequently available for study and appreciation through institutions and initiatives related to the public domain.