Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863) made his first Salon hits with The Barque of Dante (1822), The Massacre at Chios (1824) and Death of Sardanapalus (1827). The second was a scene from the Greek War of Independence, completed the year Byron died there, and the last was a scene from one of Byron's plays. With Shakespeare, Byron was to provide the subject matter for many other works of Delacroix, who also spent long periods in North Africa, painting colourful scenes of mounted Arab warriors. His Liberty Leading the People (1830) remains, with the Medusa, one of the best-known works of French Romantic painting. Both reflected current events, and increasingly "history painting", literally "story painting", a phrase dating back to the Italian Renaissance meaning the painting of subjects with groups of figures, long considered the highest and most difficult form of art, did indeed become the painting of historical scenes, rather than those from religion or mythology.
eugÈne dELaCroix (1798–1863) MAde hiS firsT SaloN hItS WIth thE bArque of dante (1822), the massaCRe at chios (1824) And DeaTh oF sARdanApaluS (1827). tHe SecoND wAs a scene FRom the grEEk wAr of indePeNDENce, CoMPLeTEd the yEaR byron dIEd thEre, anD the laSt Was a scenE From ONe of byroN's PlaYs. witH sHakeSpEare, Byron wAs To PRoviDe THE subjeCt maTter For ManY oTHeR WOrks of dELAcrOiX, wHO ALso sPeNt long perioDS in nORth aFRica, pAIntiNG colourFuL scenEs of mounTed araB WaRriORs. his liBERTy LeadIng ThE PeopLE (1830) rEmainS, With ThE Medusa, one oF tHe best-KnoWN works oF fRencH rOmaNtIc painTINg. botH ReflECtEd Current EVEnts, anD InCrEASingLy "HIStory Painting", liTeralLy "stORY PaintIng", a Phrase datiNG Back to the ItaliAN renaissaNcE mEanINg thE PaintinG of sUBJECts wIth grOups of FIguReS, LONg consIderEd tHE hIGheSt and most difFIculT Form OF aRt, Did IndEEd Become The PaIntiNG oF HistoRical scenEs, rather ThAN ThOSe from religIon or mYThologY.