Figures from the Arch of Constantine, after Perrier

Figures from the Arch of Constantine, after Perrier, is a highly detailed drawing created by Eugène Delacroix during the critical decade of 1817-1827. Executed meticulously in pen and brown ink, this study is a testament to the artist’s academic training and his commitment to mastering classical forms. The work is not a direct study from the ancient Roman monument but rather a copy of plates published by the 17th-century French artist François Perrier. Perrier’s widely distributed volume, Segmenta Nobilium Signorum et Statuarum, containing influential engravings of classical sculpture, was a standard reference for students training in the dominant neoclassical tradition.

Delacroix’s technique in this intricate drawing displays the precise linear draftsmanship expected of an aspiring history painter. Yet, the vibrancy inherent in the application of the pen and brown ink anticipates the intense energy and passion that would soon define his mature Romantic style. These formative exercises in replicating ancient figures provided Delacroix with a robust vocabulary of dramatic gesture and anatomy, elements he would later utilize in grand historical and literary compositions such as The Death of Sardanapalus. The reliance on existing prints and reference books highlights the pedagogical methods of French art academies in the early 19th century.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this significant early drawing within its esteemed collection, preserving an essential record of the master’s formative development. As a key example of Delacroix’s early academic practice, the composition remains highly important for understanding his transition toward Romanticism. Today, such works are frequently released to the public domain, allowing institutions and scholars worldwide access to high-resolution reference prints for detailed study and comparison.