Eugène Delacroix's monumental painting Entry of the Crusaders into Constantinople returns to public view at the Louvre following an extensive restoration that removed decades of yellowed varnish and repaired structural damage. The 1840 work, commissioned by King Louis-Philippe I for Versailles' historical galleries, depicts the brutal 1204 sack of Constantinople with striking chromatic complexity.

Conservators employed scientific imaging including photostimulable phosphor storage plates and digital radiography to analyze Delacroix's original technique. These tools revealed hidden compositional elements, including a trampled soldier figure concealed behind banners, explaining the dramatic horse posture that stares directly at viewers. The restoration uncovered the artist's deliberate emphasis on enslaved women through vibrant color contrasts.

The treatment from May 2025 to April 2026 focused on removing aged varnish layers that had darkened the canvas and obscured Delacroix's signature flochetage method. This color-interweaving technique blends blues, purples, pinks, and oranges to create unprecedented flesh-tone vitality. New transparent varnish was applied, and paint gaps were carefully filled to restore the work's intended visual impact.

This restoration completes a multi-year campaign of Delacroix's large-scale works beginning in 2019. The project, supported by Ms. Isabelle Ealet-Corbani, demonstrates how modern conservation technology can recover historical masterpieces while preserving their artistic integrity for future generations.