Jun 02, 2016 a brief description explaining the story behind the artwork and the processes used by the artist to plan the work. Theodore gericault the raft of the medusa 181819 30x20 kitchen. Telling the horrific and scandalridden story of disaster at sea, it became an immediate celebrity, and even its tragic deterioration due to his extensive use of asphalt has not lessened its popularity in the louvre. Other articles where the raft of the medusa is discussed. Completed when the artist was just 27 years of age, this artwork has become an icon of romanticism and therefore presents a true milestone of the. Burkes book reflected on the aesthetics of art, and how there was an irrational. Sep 03, 2014 specifically, she wanted me to write about theodore gericault s raft of the medusa. Anybody who enjoys stories of disaster at sea will enjoy this book. A raft was assembled from the ships wood to hold lowranking soldiers and colonists, but the raft was so overloaded that most of it was. Taking a closer look at theodore gericaults masterpiece. The raft of the medusa, 1818 1819 theodore gericault. The raft of the medusa painting by gericault britannica. At 16ft by 24ft, gericault s the raft of the medusa is not too far short of the raft it depicts.
This work depicts the aftermath of a contemporary french shipwreck, whose survivors embarked on a raft and were decimated by starvation before being rescued at sea. After three days of trying to free the ship from where it was stuck, the crew and passengers took to the ships six small lifeboats. Theodore gericault, raft of the medusa, oil on canvas, 193 x 282 inches, 181819 musee du louvre, paris speakers. Theodore gericault, the raft of medusa, 181819 kiama art. The raft of the medusa louvre museum paris musee du louvre. In this dramatic reexamination of one of the most influential paint. Romanticism gericault, raft of the medusa, 181819 kiama. They had cowritten a book about their ordeal and agreed to meet him and.
Delacroix said, gericault allowed me to see his raft of medusa while he was still working on it. The raft of the medusa measures roughly 16 feet by 23. Jul 12, 2016 at 16ft by 24ft, gericaults the raft of the medusa is not too far short of the raft it depicts. Its a romantic period painting executed in an emotional style. Theodore gericault the raft of the medusa 18181819 artsy. Henry savigny the junior surgeon and alexander correard a geographical engineer. In theodore gericault is the large painting entitled the raft of the medusa c. Jul 06, 2017 the raft of the medusa, 18181819 by the french painter and lithographer theodore gericault 17911824 is a massive painting, well over life size. The raft of the medusa marks the first appearance in painting of the ugly and thereby proclaims its scrupulous respect for. Image from eitners gericaults raft o f the medusa, plate 6. After hitting a sandbar, the french captain filled the limited lifeboats with officers, politicians, and others deemed worthy of rescue, and then ordered a raft to. Christine riding published in history today volume 53 issue 2 february 2003. Feb 15, 2011 theodore gericault, raft of the medusa, 18181819 in art history, romanticism on january 24, 2011 at 3.
A brief description explaining the story behind the artwork and the processes used by the artist to plan the work. May 04, 2017 theodore gericault, raft of the medusa, 181819, oil on canvas, 4. The raft of the medusa theodore gericault 17911824 was the painter behind the raft of medusa, an 18181819 work of painting measuring 16 by 23 by 6 inches 716 by 491cm. Oct 25, 2016 theodore gericault, the raft of the medusa 181819, oil on canvas, 193. Theodore gericault, raft of the medusa smarthistory. The corpse models of gericaults the raft of the medusa. Flickr creative commons images some images used in this set are licensed under the creative commons through.
On 2 july 1816 thats 201 years and 4 days ago the french naval. It depicts a horrific true story, ripped from the headlines, on a large scale. An art analysis of theodore gericaults romantic painting. Steven zucker if youre seeing this message, it means were. The raft of the medusa was based off a shipwreck that happened in 1816 when the frigate, medusa, ran ashore off the west coast of africa. The raft of the medusa by theodore gericault 18181819. Theodore gericault, raft of the medusa, 18181819 andee nero. Mar 08, 2018 taking a closer look at theodore gericaults masterpiece. A key figure in french romanticism was theodore gericault, who shifted the emphasis of battle paintings from heroism to suffering and endurance. He spoke to two survivors to get an even better idea of what they. He remained there for two years, enjoying the equine culture and producing a body of lithographs, watercolours, and oils of jockeys and horses.
A discussion of the raft of the medusa by gericault. Instead, this massive painting, measuring sixteen by twentythree feet, speaks to the disgust gericault felt towards government officials. The raft of the medusa is an iconic romantic painting that introduced the movement that effectively substituted neoclassicism. Gericault connected his enthusiasm for grim subjects to a contemporary issue in his most celebrated work, the heap of the medusa 18181819.
Theodore gericault, raft of the medusa, oil on canvas, 193 x 282 inches, 1818 19 musee du louvre, paris speakers. The painting that shocked the world lessons from history medium. The raft of the medusa 181819 by theodore gericault. She asked me to share some of my memories of the trip with her.
The raft of the medusa is an overlifesize painting that describes a terrifying. Dec 10, 2010 the work of theodore gericault by the name of the raft of medusa does not continue in this vein of using art to endorse wars and other governmental actions. The raft of the medusa 181819 oil on canvas, 491 x 716 cm musee du louvre, paris. Theodore gericault, raft of the medusa, 18181819 in art history, romanticism on january 24, 2011 at 3. Why the raft of the medusa is one of the most inspirational. The problem was that there were 400 people on board, while the. People often talk about the power of art and by that. The raft of medusa 18181819 by theodore gericault credit. Aug 01, 2000 the wreck of the medusa is a welltold tale of the crew and passengers of the illfated french frigate. Mar 06, 2015 the raft of the medusa by theodore gericault 1818 1819 on 5th july 1816, the wreck of the french ship medusa ran aground on the west african coast.
Raft of the medusa the exciting disaster movie we are all. Gericault applied his interest in macabre subjects to a contemporary subject in his most famous work, the raft of the medusa 18181819. The horrendous episode became the theme of gericaults masterpiece. The raft of the medusa 181819 painting by theodore.
Raft of the medusa, gericault the work of theodore gericault by the name of the raft of medusa does not continue in this vein of using art to endorse wars and other governmental actions. Theodore gericault created one of the most iconic masterpieces of french romanticism, the raft of the medusa 181819. Gericault consulted two raft survivors, authors of a book about the raft episode. Ten survivors washed ashore, and recounted the horrors that they had experienced dehydration, death, and even cannibalism. A novel based on historical fact, the raft of the medusa. His 1972 monograph gericaults raft of the medusa provides great detail about the painting and its production in its 176 pages, much of which relies heavily on the biography and catalogue raisonne of gericault written in. Gericault, raft of the medusa the shocking impact the event had on society is explored through gericaults use of expression and colour. The raft of the medusa 181819 in 2020 medusa painting. Mckee has done an incredible job of assembling the facts of this story into a coherent tale.
As halloween approaches, it offers a chance to delve into the. Within two months of the rescue, the first accounts of the brutal journey of the raft of the medusa appeared in french newspapers. It depicts an event whose human and political aspects greatly interested gericault. If you want to see the best painting in the louvre, head to room 700 and clap your eyes on theodore gericaults raft of the medusa. Carrying four hundred colonists and soldiers, there were only enough lifeboats for about half of the passengers. Gericault drew his inspiration from the account of two survivors of the medusaa french royal navy frigate that set sail in 1816 to colonize senegal. The raft of the medusa 181819 painting by theodore gericault.
The colossal scale adopted in the painting make numerous forms lifesized. The wreck of the medusa is a welltold tale of the crew and passengers of the illfated french frigate. The painting depicts a moment of hope in the tragic saga of the medusa, a french royal naval ship that broke apart off the coast of west africa in 1816 while on a mission to retake senegal from the british after the napoleonic wars. In expressing the predicament of the shipwrecked everywhere in the world, gericault had laid the foundations of an aesthetic revolution. Although he died young, he was one of the pioneers of the romantic movement. Gericaults masterpiece is the large painting entitled the raft of the medusa c. Jun 05, 2015 theodore gericault, the raft of the medusa 18189, oil on canvas, 491 x 716 cm, musee du louvre, paris. The medusa shipwreck british reaction to the french tragedy at sea immortalised in gericaults masterpiece the raft of the medusa. At the time of this trip, i had just begun to study art history, due largely in part to my love of this painting. In 1816, it left from rochefort, france, in the direction of senegal, where the british would hand over the port of saintlouis to the french. You can almost hear the mens hoarse cries in an attempt to draw attention to their desperate plight, mustering their last ounce of strength to shout and wave. The raft of the medusaa major work in french 19thcentury paintingis generally regarded as an icon of romanticism. Raft of the medusa by albert alhadeff in a book brimming with trials and harsh judgments, a history of the world in wvi chapters, julian barnes includes a well crafted study of theodore geriaults raft of the medusa 1819, a short twenty or so pages highlighted with a.
The raft of the medusa portrays a brief moment of euphoria as the men on the raft spot another ship in the distance, hoping and praying to be rescued after thirteen horrific days at sea. In her book on gericault, nina athanassogloukallmyer portrayed the craftsman as unfettered by prejudices and rules, and twisted on the contemporary, terrible beauty of romantic modernization. Gericaults masterpiece, raft of the medusa 18181819, portrays on a heroic scale the suffering of ordinary humanity. Theodore gericault the raft of the medusa, 181819, on view in louvre. Before i look at the painting let me go through the actual events which this painting is based upon. As such, the piece contained all the features that defined what romantic meant. He uses objectivity on the event to depict storm clouds broken by light in contrast to the turbulent waves that are about to swallow the raft. Providing one of the clearest and best examples of french romanticism, the work dealt with the highly controversial shipwreck of the french ship the meduse medusa. The vast work fills a wall in the louvre s denon wing, around the corner from the mona lisa.
Apr 16, 2015 theodore gericault, the raft of medusa, 181819. The medusa was a french naval vessel that was on course off the coast of africa before running aground on a sandbar near mauritania on july 2, 1816. Ive occasionally gazed at it to the point of seasickness. The shipwreck had scandalous political implications at homethe incompetent.
Theodore gericault the raft of the medusa, 181819 detail image via analysis of the raft of the medusa. Steven zucker theodore gericault, raft of the medusa, 181819, oil on canvas, 4. Why the raft of the medusa is one of the most inspirational works. The raft of the medusa is an oil painting of 18181819 by the french romantic painter and lithographer theodore gericault. The raft of the medusa 1818 19 my very good friend, author and beekeeper shoshanah lee marohn, is writing a book about some adventures we had together in paris when we were 19 or 20 i cant quite remember how old i was. The closest thing i can compare it to is literally the cinema screen. Completed when the artist was 27, the work has become an icon of french romanticism. Gericault, raft of the medusa the shocking impact the event had on society is explored through gericault s use of expression and colour. The raft of the medusa, oil on canvas by theodore gericault, c. Completed when the artist was 27, the work has become. Theodore gericault the raft of the medusa 18181819. These stories caused a big scandal in france and the government tried to cover it up unsuccessfully.
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