The stern looking fellow above is one Eugene Delacroix born this day 1798 near Paris, France. There is a nasty rumour that his father was sterile at the time of his birth, and that his real father was another hero of mine, a lovely fellow by the name of Talleyrand. This idea is supported by Talleyrand's protection of Eugene throughout his painting career. He also, according to people in the know, looked an awful lot like Talleyrand. He went on to paint a lot of pretty pictures, but perhaps the most famous one is "Liberty leading the People." A stirring portrait of Liberty (with one breast exposed) leading the people during the 1830 revolution in France. He was, at the beginning of his career, a firmly Romantic painter, by the end of it he was heading towards being a leading precursor of the Impressionists. Another hero of mine, Charles Baudelaire, called him "a poet in painting," and was a big fan. If it is good enough for Baudelaire, it is good enough for me. So, for painting such expressive pictures that inspired a generation of artists, and are still being sold for a pretty penny today, Eugene Delacroix (April 26th, 1798-August 13th, 1863, at the age of 65), you are my (242nd) hero of the day.
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