Six Costume Studies for "Goetz von Berlichingen"

Six Costume Studies for "Goetz von Berlichingen" by Eugène Delacroix is a profound series of preparatory drawings executed between 1833 and 1843. This extensive timeline reflects the artist's prolonged engagement with Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s influential 1773 drama concerning a 16th-century knight. Delacroix created the work using the classical method of pen and iron gall ink, yielding precise, rich black lines that define the varied textures and shapes of historical clothing. This medium required both dexterity and immediacy, perfectly suited for the rapid visualization necessary for costume design.

Delacroix was the foremost exponent of French Romanticism and frequently drew inspiration from literary giants like Shakespeare and Goethe. These studies were functional sketches, allowing the artist to meticulously visualize and finalize the appearance of figures from the historical setting before any potential production of lithographs or large-scale paintings. The figures depicted, likely representing specific characters or generalized period types, illustrate the dramatic potential Delacroix saw in the Sturm und Drang tragedy. His focus here is not on narrative action but on character identity conveyed solely through dress and posture.

As a significant example of Delacroix’s graphic output, this drawing provides invaluable insight into the meticulousness of the artist’s process and his commitment to historical literary subjects. The study, Six Costume Studies for "Goetz von Berlichingen", is currently housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it stands as a celebrated piece detailing the intersection of high literature and 19th-century artistic interpretation. It remains a key public domain reference for scholars studying Delacroix’s preparatory methods.