The Raft of the Medusa

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·Treasures of the Louvre

The Raft of the Medusa

Gericault · 1819

Room 700Pending review

The Raft of the Medusa is a colossal painting, measuring a massive 5 x 7 m.

It is considered a masterpiece of the Romantic movement.

The Raft of the Medusa — image 1

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It was inspired by a true story.

A French ship was en route to Senegal in 1816, when it struck a sandbank and sank - just 100 km off the Senegalese coast.

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About half of the 400 crew managed to scramble onto a makeshift raft.

However, after 2 weeks at sea, tragically only 15 of them had survived.

The Raft of the Medusa — image 1

The Raft of the Medusa — image 2

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The story fascinated Parisian society.

As a (proto) Romantic, Géricault saw his role as evoking strong, raw emotions - and the story of the Medusa was a perfect topic.

The Raft of the Medusa — image 1

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The painting is also famous for its composition : most of the lines guide our eyes towards the horizon, mirroring the movements of the men, desperately reaching out to a passing ship!

The Raft of the Medusa — image 1

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