The Raft of the Medusa: A Painting by Théodore Géricault
The story behind the painting is almost as dramatic as the scene it depicts
The Raft of the Medusa, by Théodore Géricault, can be seen today in the Louvre, Paris. It depicts a real event, and the painting was created with the purpose of drawing attention to that event. The story of the painting itself is nearly as dramatic as that of the scene it depicts.
Théodore Géricault
Théodore Géricault (1791–1824) belonged to the Romantic school of French painting, having been greatly influenced by writers such as Scott and Byron and painters including Rubens, Caravaggio and Michelangelo. He came from a wealthy family and so was never in danger of starving in a garret in the preferred Romantic style, but was free to indulge his passion for horses and travel. His many riding accidents contributed to his early death, at the age of 32, which seemed to tally with the Romantic ideal.
His productive period as an artist lasted for only 12 years, but during that time he produced some startling works, the most dramatic of which was The Raft of the Medusa, a massive painting that occupied him for about 18 months in total but had a decidedly mixed reception when it was exhibited.
