Esquisse pour la bataille de Poitiers

This work by Eugène Delacroix is a preparatory sketch for The Battle of Poitiers, more specifically for the composition known as King John at the Battle of Poitiers. Painted between 1829 and 1830, it takes as its subject the Battle of Poitiers of 1356, a major episode of the Hundred Years’ War during which John II of France was captured by the English forces led by Edward, the Black Prince. Through its loose brushwork, visual energy, and unfinished character, this study shows how Delacroix developed movement, violence, and dramatic tension before executing a large history painting. The work also reflects the painter’s interest in France’s medieval past, which he often preferred to subjects drawn from Greek or Roman antiquity.