The Restoration of Delacroix's Capture of Constantinople

The last restored large-format painting by Eugène Delacroix has finally returned to the Pompei red walls of the Salle Mollien at the Musée du Louvre. Since 2019, the Louvre has been restoring the king of the Romantic movement's paintings. Last week, the fifth and final from the master of color was revealed. The Capture of Constantinople by the Crusaders, April 12, 1204. Before the restoration, the painting was very dark. The architectural background of the city and the Bosphorus has almost disappeared under multiple layers of varnish.  Last restored in 1948, the most recent restoration included strengthening the canvas and its edges, as well as a full cleaning of the pictorial layer. In this episode, we go into the history of the commission, the actual event of 1204, and what the painting means. For more, visit ClaudineHemingway.comSupport the show