Theodore Gericault's "The Raft of the Medusa" Essay

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Theodore Gericault's "The Raft of the Medusa" is one of the most imposing works of art in the Louvre Museum. Although the Louvre holds a great deal of beautiful artworks, this particular painting struck me from the very first moment when I came across it. In addition to its imposing size, the fact that the painter concentrated on emphasizing the intense feelings experienced by individuals on the raft contributes to inducing strong emotions in anyone seeing the painting. Consequent to looking at the picture for several minutes one is likely to observe the complex ideas that the painter wanted viewers to understand.

The painting's background is even more interesting than the painting itself, as it relates to the repercussions of the wreck of a French frigate named the Medusa. Gericault wanted his painting to express the experiences of desperate individuals as they acknowledged that they had little to no chances to survive and that it was essential for them to employ extreme attitudes in order to be able to prolong their suffering.

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One can actually come to believe that the painting is intended to teach people with regard to how suffering is no longer something that one should fear, especially when the respective person faces almost certain death.

Gericault's work is very different from works contemporary to the painter and this is likely owed to the fact that he wanted to use a famous event with the purpose of uplifting his public image. He was obviously well-acquainted with the fact that the masses were especially interested in sensational stories and hoped that by using this particular event as a topic for his painting he would influence people in being more appreciative of his work.

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