A staple of the Romantic Movement is The Raft of the Medusa
Theodore Gericault painted it while he was only twenty-seven years old. The incident scandalized Gericault and other French citizens, and he sought to make an artistic statement that would forever represent it. But he chose the most dramatic part—when, after thirteen days at sea, the survivors finally saw a ship carrying a rescue expedition and felt a glimmer of hope. The painting shows the raft on the verge of sinking into the water, with its stern filled with bodies and the almost-dead passengers (Baumann 1-4).
Gericault's Process
As a result, Gericault spent a commendable amount of his time in the morgues analyzing the bodies, bringing severed head and limbs back to his studio for an in-depth analysis of the gore and stiffness as he prepared the composition. The outcome was a macabre and a disturbing testament to the ultimate triumph of hope against the power of human depravity. The painting is considered as Gericault’s masterpiece, and it is still among the most explored art in the world. As a result, this article aims at affirming as to why Gericault work (the raft of Medusa) can be considered a work of narrative.
The Representation of Polarized Politics in The Raft of the Medusa
The Raft of the Medusa was a representation of the polarized politics. This is brought out when one carefully examines the painting with its intense realism and masterful composition. Gericault being sensitive, frail and bloody is considered an outstanding romantic artist. He began his career with impressive military statements for the Napoleon Emperor. However, his later works were based on their raw empathy and emotional brutality, which for generations has captured the hearts of his audiences (Snell 109-180). For instance, examining his arts including the raft of the Medusa is a grueling experience. Unfortunately, his demise at an early age denies us the chance of knowing how much further into his humanitarian depth he was willing to plunge.
The Theme of The Raft of the Medusa
The paint with its raw emotion, brutality, and realism capture the climax of a historical event, which stunned the world and specifically the French republic. The narrative behind the painting is as overwhelming as the canvas desperation. The Medusa, a French naval, was set on course to Africa before it ran aground on a sandbar in 1816 near Mauritania. The passengers and the crew took the ship’s six small lifeboats after attempting to free the Medusa for three days. However, a problem arose as there were four hundred people on board and the boats could only load a capacity of about two hundred and fifty (Krebaum 77-85). One hundred and fifty people were therefore loaded onto a wooden raft, which was both hastily and shoddily constructed. With several casks of wine, one bag of biscuits and two barrels of water, the men and women adrift experienced a devastating thirteen days at the ocean. The experience comprised of cannibalism and numerous infighting with many of the people throwing themselves overboard or being thrown. As a result, only fifteen people survived after finally being rescued. An enormous scandal arose in France due to the sluggish response by the French government.
Analysis of the Painting
Tone and lighting: As the subject matter, the painting used a dark tone. Gericault applied the Baroque technique which is evidenced by his lighting structure that is heavy on tenebrism and chiaroscuro, and the stark contrast between dark and light. As a result, the darkness of the sea contrast with the light of the sky, with the overall tone being of impending doom.
Composition: the painting is organized into two differing pyramidal shapes. Two peaks can be viewed using diagonal lines: a wave that may or may not engulf them on the raft in case they fail to be rescued and the flag in the top right corner, which is raised as a last gesture of hope to a distant ship that may or may not save them. It was uncertain as to what might happen to them. These pyramids serve to discern the two possibilities that may occur: massacre or rescue.
Figure studies: Gericault worked figure by figure for the eerie and remarkable life-like quality of the bodies. He first completed each body’s sketch and painting before advancing to another one. Having studied the corpses in the morgue as well as bringing severed heads and limbs to his studio, Gericault was able to depict his message successfully (Casaliggi, and Fermanis 201). Moreover, he employed assistants and friends as live models who posed for him in the cadaverous form. Therefore, he painted the live models directly rather than from preparatory sketches.
Color palette: As a characteristic of romantic painters, the painting used a sober and dramatic color palette. Moreover, Gericault used an abundance of flesh tone to focus on the mass of corpses. He also used warm shades to contrast the deep blue of the stormy sea such as umber, ochre, deep brown and burnt sienna.
The Inspiration Behind the Work
The story that the paint was based on is an actual account and thus forming its greatest inspiration. Gericault seized an opportunity and capitalized on it at the moment when the people of France were rightfully shocked (Dodeman 157). He also foreshadowed the turn towards realism, which was seen in his lifetime and the modern use of media as a political tool.
Conclusion
The work of Gericault, in his short career, had a significant impact on the evolution of French painting and the history of modern art particularly in the nineteenth century. His choice of subject that he took from contemporary life, his passion for horses, his attraction to horrific and sublime subjects, his fusion of classical forms with an atmospheric, his compassion for the vulnerable and the weak in the society and his painterly style defines him as a unique artist. Gericault similarly aided in the advancement of romanticism by emphasizing on subjectivity and emotion. The Raft of the Medusa, which is the most famous among his works is recognized as a watershed in the history of the modern art. Furthermore, most of his work calls for deep social awareness, keen observation and at times a politically engaged view of the surrounding. For instance, a distinctive combination of raw emotion and realism can be identified in his many works. Gericault was very deliberate in his message: the painting was not for art’s sake but was for the agitation purpose. Being a political person who out of idealism had even joined the French musketeers, Gericault would not shy away from what he believed. However, the Raft of the Medusa was met with a mixed response from the French public and critics. Similarly, the heartbreak and violence depicted in the paint cannot help but cause distress to the modern audience in its presence.
Works Cited
Baumann, Kathrin. “The Picture of Reality and History in Julian Barnes'” A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters”.” (2015).
Casaliggi, Carmen, and Porscha Fermanis. Romanticism: A Literary and Cultural History. Routledge, 2016.
Dodeman, André, and Élodie Raimbault. Literary Location and Dislocation of Myth in the Post/Colonial Anglophone World. BRILL, 2017.
Krebaum, Emily. “Exploring the Sublime in Art.” ESSAI 14.1 (2016): 22.
Riding, Christine. “Shipwreck, Self-preservation and the Sublime.” The Art of the Sublime. Tate, 2013.
Snell, Robert. Portraits of the Insane: Theodore Gericault and the Subject of Psychotherapy. Karnac Books, 2016.
