painting in it; but from its very
nature it has no dramatic power, and does not arouse any deep sentiment in
one who studies it. Delaroche was paid only about fifteen thousand dollars
for this great labor, and refused to have any further reward.

Perhaps none of his works are more powerful than the "Death of the Duke of
Guise." You will easily recall the circumstances of his assassination: the
painter has so represented it that one really forgets that it is a
picture, and can only remember the horror of the crime. The corpse of the
duke is on one side of the immense chamber, near the bed; the assassins
are in a terrified group on the other side, and with them the cowardly
king, who was absolutely afraid of the dead body of his victim. The
picture is a remarkable instance of the power that may be given to what is
sometimes called historical-genre art. This picture was sold in 1853 for
ten thousand five hundred dollars (Fig. 69).

JEAN LOUIS GERICAULT (1791-1824). He was born at Rouen, and studied first
under Guerin and then in Rome. He was the first master of any power who
entirely dismissed the influence of the art of David with its marble flesh
and statuesque effect. The one great work by which he is known is the
"Wreck of the Medusa," which is in the Louvre, and which may be said to
mark the advent of the modern French school.

EUGENE DELACROIX (1799-1863) was the son of a Minister of Foreign Affairs,
and was born to position and wealth. But through misfortunes all this was
changed, and he was forced to work hard for his living. At last he
managed to study under Guerin, and in the studio of the master became the
friend of Gericault. The first work which brought Delacroix fame was a
picture of a scene from Dante's "Inferno," in which Dante sees some of his
old acquaintances who were condemned to float upon the lake which
surrounds the infernal city. This work was exhibited in 1822, and was
bought for the Gallery of the Luxembourg. Baron Gros tried to be his
friend; but Delacroix wished to follow his own course, and for some time
had but small success.

He travelled in Spain, Algiers, and Morocco, and at length was
commissioned by Thiers to do some decorative work in the throne-room of
the Chamber of Deputies. He was much criticised, but at length was
accepted as a great artist, and was made a member of the Institute in
1857. He received another important order for the Chamber of Peers. Some
of his works are at Vers