Strong competition emerged for an oil sketch for Eugène Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People at Christie’s in London on December 14, writes Alex Capon.
While numerous sketches and preparatory drawings for the 1830 painting are known (often unsigned and their attribution unsecure), Christie’s said this 2ft 1in x 2ft 8in (65 x 81cm) oil is the only one “that fully outlines the intended final composition”.