- Ph ili ppe ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 8 , ▁and ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 0 . ▁P aint ed ▁ ▁in ▁oil ▁on ▁canvas , ▁it ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁collection ▁of ▁ ▁the ▁Musée ▁du ▁Lou vre ▁in ▁Paris . ▁ ▁Del ac ro ix ' s ▁painting ▁dep ict s ▁a ▁famous ▁episode ▁of ▁the ▁Four th ▁Cr us ade ▁( 1 2 ▁April ▁ 1 2 0 4 ), ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁Cr us aders ▁abandoned ▁their ▁plan ▁to ▁in va de ▁Muslim ▁Egypt ▁and ▁Jerusalem , ▁and ▁instead ▁s ack ed ▁the ▁Christian ▁( E astern ▁Orth odox ) ▁city ▁of ▁Constantin ople , ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁By z antine ▁Empire . ▁The ▁painting ▁shows ▁Bald win ▁I ▁of ▁Constantin ople ▁at ▁the ▁head ▁of ▁a ▁process ion ▁through ▁the ▁streets ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁following ▁the ▁assault ; ▁on ▁all ▁sides ▁are ▁the ▁city ' s ▁inhabitants ▁who ▁beg ▁for ▁mer cy . ▁▁ ▁The ▁painting ' s ▁lum inos ity ▁and ▁use ▁of ▁colour ▁ow es ▁much ▁to ▁Del ac ro ix ' s ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁Old ▁Masters , ▁such ▁as ▁Paolo ▁Ver on ese . ▁The ▁painting ▁was ▁exhib ited ▁in ▁the ▁Sal on ▁of ▁ 1 8 4 1 , ▁where ▁the ▁painter ly ▁rom antic ism ▁of ▁its ▁style ▁was ▁controvers ial ; ▁Le ▁Constitution nel ▁de pl ored ▁" the ▁confused ▁and ▁str ang led ▁composition , ▁the ▁d ull ▁earth y ▁colours ▁and ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁definite ▁cont