RESTING LIONS PAINTING HANGING IN FAMILY HOME FOR OVER 100 YEARS TURNS OUT TO BE AN ORIGINAL EUGèNE DELACROIX
Sometimes, the greatest treasures are hidden in plain sight. In France, a family did not realize they owned a piece by one of the most significant artists in history. Auctioneer Malo de Lusac found a hitherto undiscovered picture by 19th-century French artist Eugène Delacroix while conducting an inventory at the family's Touraine estate. The original oil painting, Study of Reclining Lions, had been in the same family home for more than 150 years, ever before Delacroix's studio was sold in 1864.
According to De Lusac, "the owners were unsure that it was a Delacroix," AFP reported. His charisma drew my attention as soon as I walked into the living room. It was really poignant. Museums frequently display Delacroix's artwork, but private collections are scarce.
One of the most prominent Romantic painters was Delacroix. With vivid colors and expressive brushstrokes that portrayed unfiltered emotion, he brought his scenes to life, drawing influence from European politics, mythology, and his journeys to North Africa. Liberty Leading the People, one of his most well-known pieces, is regarded as a defining picture of the French Revolution and shows the July Revolution of 1830 in Paris.
Delacroix also had a strong interest in animals and would spend many hours studying them at the Jardin des Plantes menagerie in Paris. Study of Reclining Lions is one of the few known paintings of lions, even though he regularly drew them. The artist even went to dissections whenever he could and studied taxidermy. He quickly wrote to his friend, sculptor Antoine-Louis Barye, begging him to come over as soon as possible after one of the menagerie's lions, Coco, passed away in 1829 and became available for sketching. Delacroix pens, "The lion is dead." "Go as fast as you can!"
The 24-by-20-inch Study of Reclining Lions painting, which is painted in deep brown and ochre hues, shows seven lions relaxing. With their robust, muscular frames and thick manes, Delacroix truly captures their majestic nature. 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).