The Raft of the Medusa
Théodore Géricault1818Oil on canvas
Géricault's monumental protest painting depicts survivors of a real French naval disaster. The pyramid of desperate bodies straining toward a distant ship on the horizon became the defining image of Romantic political painting.
Color Mood
Heroically desperate. Géricault creates a palette of flesh, shadow, and stormy sea — the human body as the only light source in a world of darkness. Tragedy made monumental.
Louvre Museum, Paris
Primary Colors
The dominant colors that define the overall mood and atmosphere of the work.
Secondary Colors
Supporting colors that add depth, contrast, and visual interest.
Tertiary Colors
Accent and detail colors that complete the composition.
romanticismdarkdramaticcontrastblue