Study for an allegorical figure of Justice in the ceiling decoration of the Salon du Roi, Palais Bourbon; verso: studies of allegorical figures, and architectural sketches.

Study for an allegorical figure of Justice in the ceiling decoration of the Salon du Roi, Palais Bourbon; verso: studies of allegorical figures, and architectural sketches. is a pivotal preparatory drawing executed by Eugène Delacroix in 1833. This sheet of wove paper, rendered entirely in graphite, provides critical insight into the artist’s planning process for one of his most significant public commissions: the decoration of the Salon du Roi (King’s Chamber) at the Palais Bourbon, home to the French Chamber of Deputies.

The primary subject focuses on the central figure of Justice, intended as one of several monumental allegorical figures decorating the vast ceiling. The drawing captures the dynamic pose and sweeping drapery required for a figure viewed in situ from the floor far below. Delacroix’s technique here is rapid and expressive, emphasizing volume and movement rather than fine detail, demonstrating how the artist worked out the complex problems of perspective and composition before transitioning to oil sketches or the final mural.

The reverse side of the drawing sheet offers further evidence of Delacroix’s intensive design process. The verso includes smaller, swift studies of additional allegorical figures for the commission, alongside detailed architectural sketches relating to the structural elements or framing devices intended to surround the finished paintings.

This drawing is essential for understanding Delacroix’s engagement with monumental painting during the politically charged July Monarchy era. Works focusing on Human Figures and allegory, such as this study, were crucial to the state-sponsored narrative of the time. The original Drawing is held within the celebrated collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. High-quality prints of this important preparatory work, often reflecting its public domain status, remain vital resources for scholars studying the artist’s decorative schemes.