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Although there is little evidence of a close relationship between Balzac and Eugène Delacroix, Balzac was very fond of the painter throughout his life. It seems, moreover, that Delacroix served as a model for Joseph Bridau, a gifted painter. This article examines Delacroix’s influence on Balzac in the creation of his works and characters, with a view to evaluating the painter’s contributions to the evolution of La Comédie humaine. It will begin by examining the relationship between Balzac and Delacroix during their lifetimes. It will then analyze Delacroix’s influence on Balzac’s novels of the 1830s (La Fille aux yeux d’or, Le Chef-d’œuvre inconnu). Finally, it will draw a comparison between Delacroix and Joseph Bridau, who makes his appearance in La Comédie humaine around 1840 (Illusions perdues, Pierre Grassou, La Rabouilleuse, Un début dans la vie), in terms of their physical, biological, and aesthetic attributes, in order to demonstrate that, in Balzac’s world, the lines between the character of Bridau and Delacroix ultimately become blurred.