Pntgs The Podcast

A painting whose intensity is only matched by its creator, the Raft of the Medusa depicts one of the most shocking tragedies of the 19th century. Hoping that provocation would help jumpstart his career, and fueled by his own morbid fascination with the event, painter Théodore Géricault began a year-long descent into creative mania and anguish before debuting the piece at the 1819 Paris Salon. This week we discuss the painting that maintains a deep foothold in art history, and still manages to captivate and influence a variety of painters and artists working in different media almost two centuries after its execution.