While there are references to nature in the representation of the landscape and the sky, the central focus of the work is the terrible and emotionally moving historical event and its human effect.
The painting is intended to evoke a response in the viewer and it is this reaction or response that is so important in understanding the Romantic elements of the work.
As suggested, the Romantic artists were concerned with conveying intensity of life and in exploring and expressing passion and feelings that went beyond or transcended ordinary mundane events. This is the reason why Delacroix chose the subject matter that he did for this painting. The painting elicits a feeling of intense drama and a sense of heightened emotion at the event that is depicted. Central to the impact of this painting is the use of color and composition to achieve affect. Delacroix was known for his dramatic use of intense and rich color in many of his works. "His remarkable use of color was later to influence impressionist painters and even modern artists such as Pablo Picasso." (Massacre at Chios)
The drama and intensity of the event is partly conveyed by the sense of space and distance in the painting. At the same time the sadness and pathos of the human condition is also conveyed by the artist. This can be related to the poem by Wordsworth, where we have references to the sad state of humanity which is excluded from the wonder of nature and the immensity of reality. This can be compared to the painting by Delacroix and can be seen in the figure of the solitary woman in the foreground of the picture, who is staring blankly into the distance as if she is detached or in shock at the events occurring behind her. There is an immense sense of compassion and sadness in this figure, which is indicative of the Romantic desire for mankind to escape the confines of the world.
This also refers to the composition and the way that the figures are structured in the foreground. There is an intensity of feeling in the grouping of the figures and in the couples who are in each others arms in the foreground. This intimacy is strikingly contrasted in artistic and compositional terms with the scene of carnage and the sky and the distant horizon, to create a sense of awe, wonder and horror at the scene.
These works to art, the poem by Wordsworth and the painting by Delacroix, are very different in many respects. The tone and the theme of Wordsworth's poem is based on the adulation of nature, while the painting Delacroix is one of pathos and horrendous slaughter. However, beneath these differences one can discern a common Romantic ethos and central themes. These include the desire of a reality that is larger, more imaginative and intense when compared to ordinary reality and the realization of the often sad and troubled human condition.
Works Cited
Delacroix, "Massacre at Chios." October 26, 2008. www.humanitiesweb.org/human.php?s=g&p=c&a=p&ID=93
Delacroix considered himself to be a 'pure classicist'. What evidence is there in his work to support or refute this? Discuss. October 26, 2008. http://www.geocities.com/rr17bb/delacro.html
Massacre at Chios. October 26, 2008. http://www.cs.wayne.edu/~zhw/csc691/tour1pic4detail.html
Tintern Abbey. October 26, 2008. http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Poetry/WordsworthTinternAbbey.htm
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