Her large canvasses full of strength demonstrate the powers of the waves and shows us how they can be a source of inspiration that transcend pictorial styles.In preparation for assignment 4 annotations I have decided to research The Raft of the Medusa by Géricault Théodore GÉRICAULT (Rouen, 1791 – Paris, 1824)Īcquis à la vente posthume de l’artiste par l’intermédiaire de Pierre-JosephDedreux-Dorcy, ami de Géricault, 1824, 1824 On KAZoART, artist Roseline Al Oumani also studied the sea and its outbursts, but in an abstract composition.
Géricault-inspired work on KAZoART – Roseline Al Oumami This was clearly an anti-Royalist and anti-slavery message that Géricault artfully sent to the French government. A black man stands at the top of the pyramid, becoming the composition’s figurehead. Part of the criticism this work received was due to his anti-colonialism message. What’s more, he was not afraid to use his art as a vehicle for political commentary. Disappearing under suspect circumstances at the ripe age of 32, he is now considered to be the archetype of Romantic artists. He had always been particularly attracted to the expression of neuroses, suffering and the evasion of death. Géricault dedicated his body and soul to this work. A scene of pictorial and political intensity The silhouette of the ship coming towards the raft surrounded by a heavenly light lets us know that this nightmarish scene is about to end. Some had gone mad, others had died of starvation or been eaten. After two weeks, 150 men had been reduced to 10. The ship, Argus is pictured in the distance. A double pyramidal compositionĪfter days on end, a sign of hope appears on the horizon.
One can easily understand why his five by seven metre canvas outraged some and moved others: Géricault succeeded in speaking out against the French government and colonialism while making an exceptional work of art. Of the 150 men, not more than ten survived. The stories that came from the survivors were ones of agony and cannibalism. The men’s narrative is a fateful one indeed as they spent almost two weeks wandering at sea. Géricault immortalises pure horror against a backdrop of hope. It is near impossible to stand in front of this painting and feel indifference. He went to great lengths to interview survivors, make preparatory sketches, build model sets and study all that he could before making the greatest masterpiece of his life.
Géricault latched onto this subject when the news broke. Not having enough life boats, 150 men had to fashion a makeshift raft and set sail in hopes of survival. Captained by an officer of the “Ancien Régime” who hadn’t sailed in over twenty years, they hit a sandbank. The year is 1816 and a French frigate carrying over 400 men has set sail to colonialise Senegal. An analysis and closer look of the work reveals the many layers of this multi-faceted drama. Made between 18, this immense painting relives an important moment in French history: the sinking of a frigate off the coast of Mauritania. An undeniable masterpiece of the 19th century, The Raft of the Medusa by Géricault is a true manifesto of Romanticism.