The Raft of the Medusa | Théodore Géricault | 1819 17th Century the oak leaves and the

the oak leaves and the fortress on the mountaintop are symbolic of the resilience of faith

as well as the intricate patterns and textures

its silhouette sharply defined against the quiet darkness of the landscape

and will not discolour or fade with age

The Raft of the Medusa | Théodore Géricault | 1819 17th Century the oak leaves and theGricault 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,