Théodore Géricault was born on September 26, 1791, in Rouen into a prosperous family, yet he rebelled early against their mercantile ambitions to pursue art. He moved to... View More

Théodore Géricault was born on September 26, 1791, in Rouen into a prosperous family, yet he rebelled early against their mercantile ambitions to pursue art. He moved to Paris in 1810, studying under Carle Vernet, a celebrated equestrian painter, and briefly copying works at the Louvre, where he absorbed the drama of Rubens and the precision of David.

In 1818–19, Géricault undertook his masterpiece, The Raft of the Medusa, a monumental canvas (16 by 23 feet) depicting survivors of a shipwreck off the coast of Senegal. The painting’s raw emotion, dynamic composition, and stark realism shocked critics and the public alike, announcing Romanticism’s break from academic restraint. Géricault conducted rigorous research for the work, interviewing survivors and sketching corpses, demonstrating his commitment to truth over idealization.

Despite fragile health and a career cut short by tuberculosis at age 32, Géricault continued to explore psychological depth in portraits such as the Insane Woman series and equestrian subjects like Officer of the Imperial Guard Charging. His expressive brushwork, daring subject matter, and focus on human suffering laid the groundwork for later Romantic and Realist movements. Today, Géricault is celebrated as a pioneer who placed emotion and social commentary at the heart of Western painting.