“Study of Reclining Lions” by Eugène Delacroix. (Photo: Eugène Delacroix via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Sometimes, the greatest treasures are hidden in plain sight. This was the case for a family in France who had no idea they possessed a work by one of history’s most influential artists. During an inventory at the family property in Touraine, auctioneer Malo de Lusac discovered a previously unknown painting by the 19th-century French artist Eugène Delacroix. The original oil-on-canvas work, titled Study of Reclining Lions, had remained in the same family home for over 150 years, ever since the sale of Delacroix’s studio in 1864.
“The owners were not sure that it was a Delacroix,” De Lusac told Agence France-Presse (AFP). “When I arrived in the living room, my gaze was attracted by his magnetism. It was very moving. Delacroix’s works are seen very regularly in museums but very little in private hands.”
Delacroix was one of the leading artists of the Romanticism movement. He drew inspiration from European politics, mythology, and his travels to North Africa, bringing his scenes to life with bold colors and expressive brushstrokes that evoked raw emotion. One of his most famous works, Liberty Leading the People, depicts the July Revolution of 1830 in Paris, and is considered a defining image of the French revolution.
Delacroix also had a deep fascination with animals and spent countless hours observing them at the menagerie in Paris’ Jardin des Plantes. While he frequently sketched lions, Study of Reclining Lions is now one of few known paintings of them. The artist even studied taxidermy and attended dissections whenever he could. When one of the menagerie’s lions, Coco, died in 1829 and became available for sketching, he immediately wrote to his friend, sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye, urging him to hurry over. “The lion is dead,” Delacroix wrote. “Ride at full speed!”
The 24-by-20-inch Study of Reclining Lions piece depicts seven lions lounging, painted in rich shades of ochre and brown. Delacroix really brings out their majestic quality, with thick manes and strong, muscular bodies.
The newly discovered painting went on display at Hôtel Drouot in Paris, where it was auctioned off on March 28. It was estimated to sell for €200,000 to €300,000 (about $217,000 to $326,000), but actually wound up selling for €455,000 (about $493,955).
Sources: Un tableau inédit d'Eugène Delacroix découvert près de Tours, “Un tableau unique” d'Eugène Delacroix, estimé entre 200 000 et 300 000 euros, a été vendu 455 000 euros aux enchères à Paris
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