“The Death of Sardanapalus” by Eugène Delacroix (Louvre Museum)

“The Death of Sardanapalus” by Eugène Delacroix depicts the tale of Sardanapalus, a king of Assyria, who according to an ancient story exceeded all previous rulers in sloth and decadence. He spent his whole life in self-indulgence, and when he wrote his epitaph, he stated that physical gratification is the only purpose of life. His debauchery caused dissatisfaction within the Assyrian empire, allowing conspiracies against him to develop. Sardanapalus failed to defeat the rebels, and then enemies of the empire join the battle against him. When Sardanapalus’ last defences collapsed and to avoid falling into the hands of his enemies, Sardanapalus ordered a huge funeral pyre on which were piled all his gold and valuables and ordered that his eunuchs and concubines be added to the pyre, to burn them and himself to death. The king’s last act of destroying his valued possessions, including people and goods, in a funerary pyre, demonstrated his final depravity.

The story of the death of Sardanapalus is based on the tale from an ancient Greek historian, which inspired Lord Byron to write the play Sardanapalus in 1821, and in turn inspired a cantata by Hector Berlioz, called Sardanapale in 1830, and then Franz Liszt’s opera, Sardanapale in 1845. Delacroix’s painting was part of the era of Romanticism, and this painting added to the growing awareness of the story of Sardanapalus. Delacroix’s original painting is dated 1827 and hangs in the Musée du Louvre, Paris, a smaller replica, painted by Delacroix in 1844, hangs in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Delacroix’s composition is centred on a large bed draped in rich red fabrics golden and with elephant head sculptures at the base of the bed. On the bed lies Sardanapalus with a look of contempt, overseeing the chaos. He is dressed in flowing white fabrics and with elaborate gold around his neck and head. Also, each of the King’s pampered toes has a jewelled toe ring on it. One woman lies dead at his feet, and five other women are in various stages of undress, and in the process of being stabbed with knives by the King’s men. One man is also attempting to kill the King’s favourite horse, while two young men by the king’s right elbow are attending to the King’s command with an elegant golden decanter and a cup. The king’s room is full of treasure and just outside can be seen the funeral pyre being fired up in preparation for the cremation of the King and all his riches, favourite women, men and horse.