The Raft of the Medusa | Théodore Géricault | 1819 17th Century in a room crowded with

in a room crowded with unsold paintings

Friedrich's interest in the Romantic movement is evident in his use of light and shadow

its silhouette sharply defined against the quiet darkness of the landscape

painted outdoors

completed in 1872

The Raft of the Medusa | Théodore Géricault | 1819 17th Century in a room crowded withGricault chose to depict this event in order to launch his career with a large scale uncommissioned work on a subject that had already generated great public interest. The event fascinated him, and before he began work on the final painting, he undertook extensive research and produced many preparatory sketches. He interviewed two of the survivors and constructed a detailed scale model of the raft. He visited hospitals and morgues where he could view,