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Gericault's
most famous painting is 'The Raft of the Medusa.'
'The Raft of the Medusa', measuring about 16'x23',
is now located in Paris, France at the Louvre.
'The Raft of the Medusa' was started in 1818
and completed in 1819. The painting illustrates
the crew and passengers of the Medusa, a French
ship owned by the government. The Medusa plunged
into the ocean in July of 1816 near Africa's
west coast.
The incident became scandalist when it was revealed
that the captain of the ship was selected because
of political partisanship rather than ability.
In the chaos of the moment the crew and captain
of the ship escaped onto life boats hauling
an improvised raft which carried 149 passengers.
In time the captain and crew set the raft adrift
by cutting the rope used for towing. This left
the passengers with no provisions and nothing
to protect them from the harsh heat. For twelve
days the passengers were forced to endure these
inconceivable conditions through which only
fifteen survived.
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