Study of Arms and Legs of Christ Crucified

The Study of Arms and Legs of Christ Crucified is a compelling drawing by the French Romantic master, Eugène Delacroix (1798-1863), created between 1845 and 1855. This preparatory piece, executed in pen and sepia ink on buff paper, demonstrates Delacroix’s profound engagement with the artistic lineage of Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577-1640), a primary influence on 19th-century French painting. Rather than an original composition, this drawing serves as a highly focused anatomical study, analyzing the complex musculature and dynamic tension of the figures derived from one of Rubens’s monumental Crucifixion scenes.

Delacroix often utilized copying and studying existing masterworks as a fundamental method for internalizing the dramatic techniques of the Old Masters, especially the vibrant energy and anatomical intensity characteristic of the Flemish Baroque. This detailed anatomical focus on the limbs of the crucified figure reveals the meticulous observation Delacroix brought to his own large-scale religious and historical paintings. The strong, expressive lines used in this study highlight the raw suffering and weight of the body, typical of the Romantic sensibility in France.

The work belongs to a period when French artists were actively redefining academic traditions through the lens of dramatic color and movement inherited from figures like Rubens. Classified simply as a drawing, this piece offers crucial insight into the private working methods of the artist. The widespread availability of such masterful preparatory works, often available as high-quality prints or through the efforts of institutions to make their collections public domain, ensures that Delacroix’s process remains accessible for future study. This significant work resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.