The Board of Censors Moves Out

"The Board of Censors Moves Out," created by Eugène Delacroix in 1822, is a potent example of political satire rendered through the medium of lithography. This specific impression is classified as the only known state of the print, capturing the intense political and social climate of the French Restoration period. The work is a critical commentary on the governmental bureaucracy responsible for reviewing and suppressing publications, reflecting Delacroix’s early engagement with current events and social criticism.

The lithograph depicts a chaotic and absurd procession signaling the dismantling or retreat of the French censorship committee. Delacroix portrays the censors-depicted as grim, middle-aged men-being hauled away on rickety carts piled high with discarded papers and administrative detritus. Central to the satirical message is the inclusion of grotesque figures, notably the Devil himself, who often accompanied such repressive institutions in contemporary caricature. The entire procession is drawn, both literally and figuratively, by a miserable troupe of donkeys, symbolizing the perceived ignorance and stubbornness of the defeated governmental body. This imagery uses biting, public satire to celebrate a moment of brief liberalization following a period of strict control over journalistic and literary output.

Delacroix, though primarily known for his achievements in Romantic painting, was an active and skilled printmaker throughout his career. This early lithograph demonstrates his mastery of the medium’s technical demands, utilizing dense shadows and precise line work common to prints of the 1820s. Currently held in the extensive print collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this historic example of commentary is a significant record of early nineteenth-century political prints. As a work housed in a major public collection, high-quality images of this early Delacroix print are frequently available through public domain art resources globally.