Théodore Géricault - Portrait Study, 1818-19. Oil on canvas  This portrait was made as a study for Théodore Géricault’s most famous painting, The Raft of the Medusa, made in 1819 and now in the Louvre. In a clear case of ineptitude, the ship named Medusa foundered in the sea off the coast of Africa in 1816. A raft with 140 passengers drifted for thirteen days before being rescued; only fifteen people survived. In preparation for his disturbing and controversial painting of the incident, Géricault (Rouen, 1791 - Paris, 1824) made many studies from life, like this one, to achieve a sense of realism and specificity. The sitter wears a shirt similar to those worn by the survivors of the Medusa. Géricault captured the man’s character with great sympathy and spontaneity; his watery eyes do not focus on anything outside the canvas but appear to express an internal torment. Shades of brown, gray, and beige blend together to imitate his dark complexion. Dabs of white and beige paint are used to indicate reflective light in his eyes and on the tip of his nose, his bottom lip, and his chin.
Pop-upView Separately

Théodore Géricault - Portrait Study, 1818-19. Oil on canvas 

This portrait was made as a study for Théodore Géricault’s most famous painting, The Raft of the Medusa, made in 1819 and now in the Louvre. In a clear case of ineptitude, the ship named Medusa foundered in the sea off the coast of Africa in 1816. A raft with 140 passengers drifted for thirteen days before being rescued; only fifteen people survived. In preparation for his disturbing and controversial painting of the incident, Géricault (Rouen, 1791 - Paris, 1824) made many studies from life, like this one, to achieve a sense of realism and specificity.

The sitter wears a shirt similar to those worn by the survivors of the Medusa. Géricault captured the man’s character with great sympathy and spontaneity; his watery eyes do not focus on anything outside the canvas but appear to express an internal torment. Shades of brown, gray, and beige blend together to imitate his dark complexion. Dabs of white and beige paint are used to indicate reflective light in his eyes and on the tip of his nose, his bottom lip, and his chin.

Source: artpedia

150 Notes/ Hide

  1. tiger-feather reblogged this from faux-fuyants
  2. grasscoveredroof reblogged this from faux-fuyants
  3. faux-fuyants reblogged this from artpedia
  4. olivergalan reblogged this from chocolategreen and added:
    Estudio para un retrato, de Théodore Géricault (1791-1824).
  5. chocolategreen reblogged this from artpedia
  6. anastaz reblogged this from artpedia
  7. digforfire42 reblogged this from artpedia
  8. twentythirdplace reblogged this from artpedia
  9. andhereandgone reblogged this from artpedia and added:
    Théodore Géricault - Portrait Study, 1818-19. Oil on canvas
  10. illusions-of-grandeur reblogged this from bo0bie
  11. death-on-a-pale-horse reblogged this from artpedia
  12. thebrigadier reblogged this from artpedia
  13. vivirdormiramar reblogged this from lana-del-amarna
  14. berlintrilogy reblogged this from artpedia
  15. untropic reblogged this from vykin
  16. lana-del-amarna reblogged this from bo0bie
  17. capnmuttonchops reblogged this from artpedia
  18. pickprofilepicture reblogged this from agapie
  19. secretempires reblogged this from artpedia
  20. smatterings reblogged this from artpedia
  21. arthistorysoup reblogged this from artpedia
  22. lawtiwaz reblogged this from artpedia
  23. testchamber19 reblogged this from ironychan
  24. hellodionne reblogged this from artpedia
  25. attaques reblogged this from artpedia
  26. mattmullins reblogged this from artpedia
  27. they-call-me-eponine reblogged this from artpedia
  28. clareburr reblogged this from artpedia
  29. themiddlee reblogged this from artpedia
  30. odnokaras reblogged this from artpedia and added:
    The look in his eyes….
  31. abstractimpressionism reblogged this from interpretivevisions
  32. vinylart reblogged this from artpedia
  33. stevenandspice reblogged this from artpedia
  34. rclinkdump reblogged this from artpedia