Liberty Leading the People was painted by which French Romantic artist?

• A. Courbet
• B. Monet
• C. Delacroix
• D. Manet

Answer: (C)

Romanticism emphasizes emotion, individual heroism, and dramatic, politically charged scenes. Liberty Leading the People embodies that mood with Liberty personified as a fearless woman leading a diverse crowd amid the upheaval of the July Revolution, a powerful allegory of liberty and resistance. The painter behind this iconic image is Eugène Delacroix, a foremost figure of French Romanticism, known for bold color, vigorous brushwork, and compositions designed to evoke strong feeling and moral tension. In contrast, Courbet is associated with Realism, Monet with Impressionism, and Manet with a bridge between Realism and early modernism; their aims focus more on everyday life, light, and modern experience than the sweeping emotional drama and revolutionary fervor Delacroix captures.