Great Art Explained — Season 1, Episode 4: The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault
Documentary • 15 min • 5 seasons, 39 episodes
Episode synopsis
This is the story about the painting of the raft that shook the world and scandalised high society. Not only for its anti-royalist statements but also for its choice of a black man as the hero. In an age of slavery. In its brutality, realism, and raw emotion it captures the essence of a historic event that shocked the French public, a Revolution-weary public that was not easy to shock. The story behind the painting is as devastating as the desperation on canvas.
About Great Art Explained
Great Art Explained is a video series that focuses on one piece of art per episode, breaking it down, using clear and concise language free of 'art-speak'.