As humans we are obsessed with the unknown – sordid tales of mystery, captivating romance, historical events that seem impossible. We are drawn to the macabre, the sublime. These obsessions are perhaps why so many people are attracted to The Raft of the Medusa, a painting by Theodore Gericault. (For full analysis of this painting, watch my video here.)
This blog covers (1) the historical event, or story, that is depicted in this piece and (2) an analysis on The Raft of the Medusa. This analysis will help you identify how Gericault taps into our curiosity and draws us into this artwork.
The Story of The Raft of the Medusa
Shipwreck
The Raft of the Medusa painting was created in 1818-1819, near the beginning of the Romanticism art movement. It’s a contemporary piece because it was created within two years of an event that took place in 1816. But it’s also a history piece, as it shows a historical moment. Here’s the incredible story. . .
In the year 1816, a ship (The Medusa) was headed from France to the coast of Africa. The captain was very incompetent. He was assigned to the ship as a political statement, but he hadn’t sailed for over 20 years! Due to his incompetence, he ended up veering off course and grounding the ship. Eventually it capsized and he and all of the people on the ship were in a state of emergency.
Now, typically when a ship starts to sink the last person off the boat is the captain. In fact, the captain doesn’t often survive. In this story, the captain was the first off the ship with all of his top commanders. They got on one of the few lifeboats that were available and left the other 147 passengers scrambling to make a raft. The captain and top commanders were kind enough to pull the raft behind their lifeboat, until they realized it wasn’t going to work. Then the captain and top commanders cut the ropes, leaving the passengers on the raft of the Medusa at sea. They were left to their survival skills. When the raft was finally rescued, 15 survivors were found.
Stories of the survivors
The stories of these 15 survivors are how we know what happened on that ship. Likely rumors mixed with truths, the stories were told of people turning wild. Uprisings, fights, throwing weak passengers off the raft to save room and supplies. Finally, when the few supplies they did have ran out, they turned to the unfathomable – cannibalism. This was a harrowing event for those 15 survivors, and often they didn’t talk about what happened.
The captain’s trial
The captain was put on trial for his crimes and was convicted, although he did have a very light sentence. Remember, all of this was happening at the fall of Napoleon’s empire, when he was exiled. France decided to reinstate the monarchy and it just so happened that the captain of the ship was a monarch sympathizer. That’s why he got away with barely a tap on his hand.
The Raft of the Medusa Painting – A Gericault Masterpiece
Gericault saw this as an opportunity to paint something the world would not soon forget. He was a Neoclassical trained artist (learn about the Neoclassical art period). But after traveling to Italy and studying the great Baroque artists (such as Caravaggio), he decided to use some of those elements in his artwork. This helped push the Romanticism art movement in the early 19th century.
Gericault’s research
During the approximately 8 months it took Gericault to create this painting, he did intense research. First of all, he interviewed survivors to get first-hand accounts of what truly happened. Second, he attended the trial so he could hear more testimony and get a feel for the captain and what he was like. Finally, Gericault was really obsessed with getting things right, and he didn’t really know the color of dead flesh. So, he went to morgues and studied the color of dead flesh. He even brought home body pieces, including a severed head, that he could reference while painting.
Art characteristics of The Raft of the Medusa painting
The moment he decides to depict in this painting is when those few survivors see help. In fact, if you look at the horizon you’ll see a really teeny tiny little speck of a boat in the distance. This is the climax of the story. This is the apex, after 13 days at sea witnessing all of these horrible events, they see light and rescue. They see the end. This is a very emotional moment, which you can really feel through Gericault’s craft.
So, how does Gericault go about bringing this piece to life? How does he draw you in as a viewer? He does so in four specific ways:
- The scale of the painting
- The pyramid composition
- How he depicts his figures
- The color palette
Scale of the painting
This painting is on a larger than life scale. It’s massive – 16 feet by 23.5 feet! There is no escaping this scene.
The Pyramid composition
Gericault uses two pyramid compositions to create drama and emotion. These pyramids help direct the viewers eyes. The top of the first pyramid is the young man holding and waving the flag. Then, you can see two really strong diagonal lines coming down from the young man. Finally, a third line at the base of these two diagonal lines give us the complete pyramid.
The top of the second pyramid begins at the top of the mast, and the diagonal lines follow the ropes or ties coming off of the mast. These pyramid shapes come from the Renaissance movement. Leonardo, Raphael, and other artists use this pyramid shape to give structure and foundation to the art. That’s why it feels really heavy at the bottom of the piece, but it also helps draw your eye to what you’re supposed to be looking at, which is the apex of the man waving the flag.
To visually see the lines of this pyramid composition analysis and how these two pyramids bring interest, chaos, and energy to the piece, watch my full analysis here.
How he depicts the figures
The third thing Gericault does to draw us in is in how he depicts his figures. Gericault is into depicting the common man, but you can see that he has this Italian influence with him as well. A lot of the figures are muscular, healthy and strong. He focuses on the male nude, perhaps showing off his Renaissance skills. But after 13 days stranded on a ship, and fighting for your life, I’m not quite sure they would look this way.
As you look at the figures, you’ll also notice lots of different emotions. Romantic artists like to use the body as a way to express emotion. See what emotions you can find in the faces of the figures.
Another thing to point out in the figures is that there are actually four black figures being depicted. The central figure is actually a black man who’s waving his shirt at the top of that pyramid. Gericault has been said to be an abolitionist, and this could have been a political statement he was making as he depicts these men as survivors and central to this artwork.
Finally, the figures tell the story. Remember Gericault interviewed survivors and went to the trial. The figures allude to some of the atrocities that happened on this raft…perhaps a half eaten man on the left? Some figures are deceased, and some seem to be in particular groups.
color pallete
The final thing to talk about in The Raft of the Medusa painting is color. The color is really interesting in this painting. It’s very Baroque with its earthy tones. Also notice how it’s very dark, so he uses some Caravaggio-esque styles of tenebrism and chiaroscuro as he kind of juxtaposes the light versus the dark. (For more on the Caravaggio style, watch my video The Entombment of Christ by Caravaggio.)
You can see the majority of the people have dark shadows on them, maybe to symbolize the dark deeds they’ve done, or just the darkness of the experience. In general, Gericault chooses lifeless colors of browns, creams, and golds. Even the waves are a dark green, instead of vibrant blue.
The only light in the piece is coming from the horizon, where hope can be found. And the only color we see that isn’t like a brown or gray, are the hints of red throughout the piece and little hints of blue in the water. These are the colors of the French flag. Many people believe this to be a very politically charged piece. So, read into that what you want, but Gericault may have been taking a hit on the French.
My Interpretation of This Painting
The colors he uses in this piece give us the impression that this is the moment right before dawn. The moment where the earth is the coldest and when things seem dreary. Then all of a sudden the sun peeks up over the horizon and a ship can be seen.
So, this is my personal interpretation, perhaps my own personal allegory…that in the midst of sadness, destruction, decay, loss, and tragedy, there is often a horizon. There is a light. And, I don’t know about you, but for me that means a lot. Which is why I love this painting – The Raft of the Medusa.