Description
The Raft of the Medusa is one of Théodore Géricault's most famous and controversial works. The painting depicts a tragic event that occurred in 1816, when the French ship Medusa sank off the coast of Senegal with more than 150 soldiers on board , and the survivors were forced to build a makeshift raft to escape.
One of the most interesting tidbits about the painting is that Géricault did a great deal of research and study to create a realistic and accurate representation of the scene. He even built a model of the raft and recruited live models to pose as the castaways.
Furthermore, the painting was first exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1819, where it caused quite a stir and was the subject of controversy due to its graphic and realistic depiction of the dead and dying bodies on the raft. The work was criticized by some for being too crude and disturbing, but was also praised by others for its drama and realism, and became an icon of Romanticism.
The Raft Of The Medusa is ranked no. 79 on the list of famous paintings