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Incident Description
“The Raft of Medusa” was created by Theodore Gericault in between 1818-1819. This painting was based on a real accident which had occurred on July 2, 1816. In this tragedy the shipwreck had occurred on course off the coast of Africa before running aground near Mauritania.
There were 400 people on board including politicians, rich people, captains, settlers. Prior to shipwreck the captain ordered his carpenter to make lifeboats. There were 400 people, but lifeboats had the capacity to carry approximately 250 people. The lifeboats were filled with rich people and politicians along with captain and sailors and 146 people were left on the raft and promised to be rescued but that was a false hope. The people who were left on the raft were dying because of starvation as they were left with one bag of biscuits, two casks of water and some casks of wine. They spent hard 13 days while they were also trying to kill each other for supplies. Only 15 men survived by the time they were saved. This was quite detrimental and caused an effect on the French government in the rescue.
(Artble, n.d.)
Artist Biography
Theodore Gericault was born in Rouen, France on 26 September 1791. He was a famous French artist with his mastery in lithography. He played a big role in the development of the Romantic movement. Gericault studied under Carle Vernet and learned composition of classical figure by Pierre-Narcisse Guerin. Guerin used to neglect his students’ abilities which still recognizing his skill. Soon after, he left the classroom and chose to study a Louvre after 1810, where he used to duplicate works of art by Rubens, Titian, Velazquez and Rembrandt until 1815.
He created his famous artworks including The Raft of Medusa, Horsehead, The Charging Chasseur and many more in his painting career. The Raft of Medusa is considered the best painting of the Romantic period, for which Gericault gained high recognition.
(The Odor Gericault, n.d.)
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What Inspired Artist And Change Of Legislative Will
The pleasant notion of this workmanship that persuaded Gericault is the genuine story of the disaster. Gericault portrays this occasion to dispatch his profession with huge scope as an uncommission work a challenge that until now produced community interest. He constructed preparative sketches and did deep analysis of the whole accident before creating the final masterpiece. He also did a detailed research on the skin colours of dead bodies and their postures. For that, he visited many hospitals and morgues. To help him, he got assistance from many of his friends to act as dead bodies so that he can draw the appropriate postures in the painting depicting the dead bodies. To produce a fine artwork, he also interviewed two victims of the incident. He wanted to make a point and emphasis that the French government failed miserably in rescuing the sufferers on the raft. The episode offers a primary exercising to the indiscreet administration of French.
(Artble, n.d.)
Composition Of Painting
The painting depicts two different pyramids. On the left, there is the broken mast of the raft and on the right, the suffering survivors form the pyramids. The viewer is attracted to the both pyramids, depicting the two possibilities of rescue or massacre. While the survivors wave the flag in a hope of rescue, the flag is the ending symbol of the survivors.
The main subject of the painting is the survivors and the dead bodies. Gericault depicts this painting to be very realistic with his excellent use of colors, keeping in mind the accuracy of contour lines and form of the subjects. The lighting used is warm, representing sadness accompanied with the darkness of the clouds that is covering the sun. The form of the sea is mesmerising in its color composition and life-like physical properties of its waves. Moreover, the overall tone is grim and full of sorrow as is the subject matter. The warm color of the sky creates a reflection on the dark contrast of the sea and the people.
To achieve top-notch realism, Gericault brought severed limbs and heads from local morgues to closely study the colors and shapes and implement them in the painting. He worked on every body separately, creating a unique posture for every person in the painting. He aimed to imprint cinematic effects to relate to the real incident as closely as possible.
Romanticism
Romanticism is an artistic style that heavily focuses on the emotion that the artist feels while portraying the painting with realistic colors and shapes. This style commenced towards the end of the 18th century with the influence of the French Revolution. The key features of this style are individualism and related feelings. The individualism is the author’s authentic ideas and emotion is happiness, sorrow, anger, etc. When entwined together, it creates a bold message about a situation that is illustrated in realistic colors. Its examples may include subject matter of religion, tragedies, politics and any social issues. It can also commemorate the events of the past and focuses the beauty of the nature.
(Wilder, n.d.)
Romanticism In Painting
The Raft of Medusa who had introduction of certainly remarkable craftsman Gericault took the elegance. “The Raft of Medusa” was once a similar time sentimental and pragmatist and probable the great composition of the main half of the nineteenth century. The image managed a modern occasion, the stipulations of which started up France, and is harassed however brilliant in its enthusiastic force. The essence of emotion on that time that makes artwork Romantic.
References
- Artble, (n.d.). The Raft of The Medusa. Retrieved from https://www.artble.com/artists/theodore_gericault/paintings/the_raft_of_the_m edusa
- Wilder, J. B. (n.d.). Defining Romanticism in The Arts. Retrieved from https://www.dummies.com/education/art-appreciation/defining-romanticism-in- the-arts/
