Delacroix’s piece Liberty Leading the People (Autumn 1830) comes from the Romantic period, a period which saw the emergence of ideas such as liberalism, conservatism, nationalism and radicalism. Delacroix’s depiction of the “Three Glorious Days” shows the desire for ‘Liberté, égalité, fraternité’, the slogan coined by Robespierre in 1790 (France’s first flirtation with revolution and change). Delacroix’s piece is fascinating and can be insightful for a historian, it shows a key idea of the Romantic period, a desire for liberalism and the removal of absolutist monarchs.
Delacroix himself was far from being an active revolutionary in July 1830, although certainly sympathetic to the cause. In a letter to his brother in October 1830 he said, “If I haven’t fought for my country at least I’ll paint for her.” As a result, it makes us question, what was Delacroix’s purpose? He wasn’t attempting to glorify the triumph of the Parisians as he shows the human cost of revolution in the bottom right corner, the fallen cavalryman and Swiss Guard. Delacroix’s painting is classified as a “History Painting” – simply depicting events which occurred. He isn’t attempting to stir controversy and make it a piece for the winners to reminisce upon but rather a piece for France to remember where it came from, hence why it was exhibited in the Salon (a public gallery) in 1831. However, it did cause controversy amongst Royalists who naturally who saw the piece as “too revolutionary” and it was hidden in Delacroix’s aunt’s house until it was consistently displayed in La Louvre in 1874 (Boime, 2007). As a result, questions could be fairly raised about the reliability of the painting as a source as contemporarily it was regarded inflammatory and was consequentially hidden until 1848, suggesting Delacroix isn’t truly depicting the events or showing the whole view of the revolution.
Delacroix’s scene is scattered with characters and scenes which shows that this is a fair depiction of events. In the distance a minute tricolore has been placed by revolutionary students on Notre Dame (Swain and Conwell, 1830). Delacroix does this as the raising of the tricolore at Notre Dame occurred as did students ringing her great bell, David Turnbull saying, “the maddening knell of the tocsin called all Paris to Arms” (Turnbull, 1830). Furthermore, Delacroix has five characters’ present in the foreground of the painting. A schoolboy, a worker, a member of the bourgeoisie, a rural worker and Marianne (Liberty). In doing this, Delacroix shows that the revolution was popular amongst an array of different classes including the working and middle class. The depth of the crowd also depicts the popularity of the revolution with bayonets and sabres being seen far into the distance. The Revolution occurred as Charles X “alienated natural supporters as well as radicals with ultra-conservative policies” (Jones, 2005). Charles was threatening the Charter of 1814 which granted freedoms with acts such as the Anti-Sacrilege Act of 1825. This act meant anyone who profaned the Eucharist would be sentenced to death. This was clearly unpopular, contemporary Victor Hugo denouncing the ‘blood for blood’ nature of the Death Penalty (Bryan, 1906). Delacroix encompasses this popular desire of different classes to remove Charles by clearly depicting different classes through their clothing and by the sheer depth of the crowd. Delacroix shows that there was opposition to the revolution but as personified by the deceased soldiers in the bottom right, it wasn’t enough to stop the tide of change. Around 11,000 soldiers and policemen (Clodfelter, 2017) attempted to stop the violence of a huge group of revolutionaries who managed to setup 4,054 barricades (Clodfelter, 2017) showing their strength. Additionally, Pamela Pilbeam says that “popular violence occurred before, during and after the July Days in both Paris and the provinces” (Pilbeam, 1983: p.832). Delacroix’s inclusion of a rural worker shows he knew it wasn’t simply a Parisian revolution.
The crowd shows another important thing which is chiefly symbolised in Liberty or Marianne who is leading the revolution. Marianne to many is the personification of ‘Liberté, égalité, fraternité’ in Delacroix’s piece. Delacroix shows the crowd following Marianne and what she stands for, liberalism. The people desired a more liberal leader or even a liberal state, hence in the painting they follow someone who can grant them that. After the July Revolution, Charles X abdicated and Louis-Phillipe a more liberal monarch ascended to the throne as a constitutional monarch. Liberty or Marianne is the focal point of the painting, she is elevated by the corpses and barricades below her. She is holding the tricolore which originated from the 1st French revolution and was maintained as the flag of revolution. She represents the peoples will and that’s why everyone follows her. However, Eric Hobsbawm argues that “Liberty was not seen as an allegorical figure” by Delacroix’s contemporaries rather based on the heroic Marie Deschamps and that Liberty is rather a woman of the people (Hobsbawm, 1978: p.122). Furthermore, Linton says, “This newly desensitized Paris…holds no place for an allegory like Liberty” (Linton, 2010: p.53). Linton fairly suggests that the revolution is not where a goddess should be and maybe not justifiable. Despite these ideas, in 1789 Marianne encompassed Liberty and reason and Delacroix attempts to do so again, however arguably 1830 wasn’t as popular as 1789 hence why there is dispute as to who is the focal point. For those directly involved in the revolution it may be depicting Marie Deschamps, to contemporary outsiders and viewers today, she represents, be it only allegorically, the freedom and ‘Liberty’ France eventually gained.
In conclusion, Delacroix’s piece represents the struggle for liberty. Through his Romantic illustration of events, he shows the determination displayed by the French people in achieving liberty. The school boy captures the sense of determination, the rural worker the desperation, almost begging Marianne for freedom. As a source, it is valuable as it was painted a matter of months after the event. Alone, however, Delacroix’s painting tells us a limited amount of information about the events of July 1830. When read alongside other primary sources such as Turnbull and Swain and Cornwell, Delacroix’s piece becomes a much more valuable source historians can use to show the desire of the French people contemporary historians like Turnbull wrote about. We must assume a slight bias in his work as he was part of the Romantic movement and consequentially was most likely liberally leaning. Nonetheless, this is a “history painting” showing the mood of Parisians in July 1830 and is an important part of French history.