The Barque of Dante

Delacroix, in his first attempt to gain entrance into the Paris Salon of 1822, worked non-stop for two and a half months on this, The Barque of Dante, his first entry into the art establishment. After it was completed, Delacroix was depleted and weak, and in need of recuperation. The critical reception was varied, from reports that it was drab, to the feeling that the artist had hope, to that he was already a distinguished colorist. That same summer, the state of France purchased the painting for 2,000 francs, and it was moved to the Museum of Luxembourg. Seven years after the artist’s death, it was moved to the Louvre, where it now resides.