Delacroix's Entry of the Crusaders into Constantinople Restored

Unfortunately, we are unlikely ever to see any of Delecroix’s paintings as they were intended to be seen. Fading pigments and other factors make this true for every painting, but doubly true for Delecroix as he used a lot of new pigments that were very unstable.

There is the story of Degas standing weeping with sadness in front of The death of sardenopolis at the way its colors had faded over time.

The actual picture without zoom disabled.[1] In case you wanted to look at it.

[1] https://api-www.louvre.fr/sites/default/files/styles/w1059_h...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entry_of_the_Crusaders_in_Cons...

(and https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prise_de_Constantinople_par_le... )

give a bit more context.

Stood out to me:

> 498 cm × 410 cm (196 in × 160 in)

The original French title "La Prise de Constantinople par les croisés" is harsher, "The taking/capture of Constantinople by the Crusaders"

The fourth crusade was wild.

- let's go and reclaim Jerusalem from those non-Christian infidels!

- Sure. We're gonna need a bigger boat. Let's ask the Venetians.

- Here are your ships, guys.

- Err, we have no money.

- Sigh. ok. Go and attack our rivals over there.

- The byzantines in Constantinople? They're Christian.

- You want something to do, or not?

- Fine. let's kill them all, boys.

Result: Constantinople is ravaged. Byzantine Empire fatally weakened. Ottomans take the city 200 years later.

one should bear in mind, that Constantinople at that time was still Christian and most of the goods, that were ransacked, came to Venetia

Not a drop of blood to be seen anywhere!

They should just trap Julian Baumgartner inside for a month, with nothing but water, food, and conservation-grade varnish and reversible pigments, and the whole place would look like new!

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