Eugene Delacroix was born in Charenton St. Maurice near Paris on April 26, 1798. His mother came from a family of artists and royal cabinet makers. His father was a lawyer who had been active in the Revolution and was at the time ambassador from the French Directory to Holland.

He received his first instruction in the Lycee Imperial, where his was a thoroughly classical education. He was thoroughly trained at home in the manners of diplomacy and high society.

At an early age Delacroix became a lover of music and literature and had been drawing from the time he entered school. He expected painting would be a hobby, but on the death of his father he found he had...