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Lot Essay
The subject of this drawing is related to that of a picture of The riding lesson painted by Delacroix in 1854 (L. Johnson, The Paintings of Eugène Delacroix, Oxford, 1986, no. 395, pl. 205). The picture was exhibited at the Salon of 1855 and according to Paul Mantz, who reviewed the exhibition, was painted in the space of one morning. Delacroix actually mentions the picture in his Journal on 28 June 1854: 'Travaillé le matin à l'Arabe et l'enfant à cheval'.
But the idea of the subject came to Delacroix around 1825 when the artist noted (in English!) in one of his sketchbooks: 'an arabian man putting his child on horseback'(M. Sérullaz et al., Dessin d'Eugène Delacroix, Paris, 1984, no. 1749, F° 43 verso). A sketch of that subject is on a drawing in Rotterdam for Daniel in the Lions' Den dated 1853 (Rotterdam, Boymans-van Beuningen Museum, Franse Tekeningen uit 19e Eeuw. Catalogus van de verzameling in het Museu Boymans-van Beuningen, 1968, no. 98). M. Piron mentions another work by Delacroix entitled Leçon d'éducation under the year 1858.
But the idea of the subject came to Delacroix around 1825 when the artist noted (in English!) in one of his sketchbooks: 'an arabian man putting his child on horseback'(M. Sérullaz et al., Dessin d'Eugène Delacroix, Paris, 1984, no. 1749, F° 43 verso). A sketch of that subject is on a drawing in Rotterdam for Daniel in the Lions' Den dated 1853 (Rotterdam, Boymans-van Beuningen Museum, Franse Tekeningen uit 19e Eeuw. Catalogus van de verzameling in het Museu Boymans-van Beuningen, 1968, no. 98). M. Piron mentions another work by Delacroix entitled Leçon d'éducation under the year 1858.