希阿岛的屠杀

Only the second major painting by Delacroix, The Massacre of Chois stands at thirteen feet tall, and is a vivid portrayal of the destruction and despair in the Greek fight for independence from Turkey. It is a grim portrayal of the massacre of 20,000 civilians on the Island of Chois by Ottoman soldiers in April of 1822, and as such is a riveting social commentary on a current event situation. Delacroix’s portrayal of the event is seemingly sympathetic to the Greek citizens, and his lack of a heroic history figure was a break from traditional artistic renderings. Although it raised quite a stir within artistic circles, it was bought by the France for 6,000 francs the same year it was exhibited at the Paris Salon, in 1824. In 1874, it was moved to the Louvre, where it has remained.