Studies of Four Englishmen, after James Gillray

Studies of Four Englishmen, after James Gillray by Eugène Delacroix is a powerful early drawing, created likely sometime between 1812 and 1830. The classification of the work as a drawing reflects the medium employed: skillful application of brush and brown ink on tracing paper, which has been subsequently laid down onto a secondary support. This technique of laying the tracing paper down suggests the artist preserved a study that was likely made quickly from an existing source.

The specific reference to "after James Gillray" is essential for understanding the context of the piece. Gillray (1756–1815) was the foremost British caricaturist of his era, known for his politically charged and often viciously satiric prints that exaggerated human features. Delacroix frequently studied the work of character artists and satirists to develop his own repertoire of expressive forms and physiognomy. This drawing is composed of multiple distinct studies of men, derived from the compositions of the English master, allowing Delacroix to analyze how strong emotion and character could be conveyed through rapid lines and tonal variation.

Delacroix’s adaptation transforms Gillray’s subjects, moving the focus from satire to the raw study of character types. The use of brown ink provides a rich, warm monochromatic quality, distinct from the sharper lines often found in contemporary engravings. These early experiments in capturing highly individual figures were formative for the artist, influencing his later grand historical canvases which relied on deeply characterized subjects. This important drawing is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a valuable resource for understanding the origins of Delacroix's Romantic aesthetic.