Théodore Géricault

Géricault trained under Carle Vernet in English sporting art from 1808, and under Pierre-Narcisse Guérin from 1810. Despite his impulsive temperament clashing with Guérin's strict classicism, his talent was recognized.¹

From 1810 to 1815, he copied works by Rubens, Titian, and others at the Louvre. He found a vitality in these Old Masters that he felt was lacking in the prevailing Neoclassical school of his time.¹

His first major work, 'The Charging Chasseur,' exhibited at the 1812 Paris Salon, was a youthful success. Its Rubens-inspired dynamism and contemporary subject matter marked him as a pioneer of Romanticism.¹

A trip to Italy (1816–17), partly to flee a romantic entanglement with his aunt, ignited a fascination with Michelangelo. This influenced the monumental and powerful figure compositions of his later masterpieces.¹

'The Raft of the Medusa' depicted a contemporary shipwreck scandal that the government tried to cover up. The monumental painting served as a public indictment of the corrupt establishment.¹

'The Raft of the Medusa' bridges Neoclassicism and Romanticism by fusing classical figure structures with a turbulent subject. His contemporary, Eugène Delacroix, even posed for one of the figures.¹

While in London (1820-21), Géricault witnessed urban poverty and produced lithographs based on these observations. These works were notable for their lack of sentimentality and stark realism.¹

Late in life, he painted a series of portraits of the insane for Dr. Georget. These works are celebrated for their bravura style and expressive realism in documenting psychological discomfort.¹

Géricault had a lifelong fascination with horses and their anatomy. In 'The Derby of Epsom' (1821), he used a unique pose with legs extended to convey a sense of extreme speed.¹

Weakened by riding accidents and tuberculosis, Géricault died in 1824 at age 32. Despite his short life, he was a pioneer of the Romantic movement and deeply influenced artists like Delacroix.¹