Bord de la Seine

Anyone who has been to Paris will tell you about the magic felt strolling along the banks of the Seine. In this original lithograph, Delacroix recreates this magic with a sunset snapshot of life by the famous river. The golden yellow sky floats above the cool blue-grey waters of the Seine as a tugboat chugs down stream, puffing out charcoal plumes of smoke. In the distance, the almost ghostly silhouette of Notre Dame keeps watch—its hulking towers and lithe spire stabbing into the rosy blush of the end of day. Here Delacroix has captured a part of the city overlooked by tourists—encapsulating a quotidian moment and making it spectacular.