26.09.1791 – 26.01.1824

September 26, 1791 was born an outstanding painter of the Romantic era Jean Louis André Theodore Gericault. His works are filled with a sense of conflict of the world, the desire to embody the dramatic phenomena of modernity and strong passions, differ emotional images, the dynamics of composition and color.

Acquainted during his journey in 1816 in Italy with the painting of Caravaggio, Theodore Gericault learned a lot from the technical techniques of the great Italian, the special contrast of light and shade is distinguished by his subsequent works.

Returning to his homeland, Jericho finishes, conceived during the trip, a complex, multifigured picture, which later became his business card and the main work of his life – the picture “The Raft of the Medusa.” Aspiring to present on the canvas a story of salvation in the sea of ​​people who were shipwrecked, the artist made many sketches in the hospital, where he wrote sick and deceased. This work, albeit not immediately, brought the author both recognition and financial well-being. However, he did not have to enjoy the success for long.

The passion for hot unrestrained horses became fatal for the artist. At the end of 1822 the horse threw it on a pile of stones. In December 1823, Delacroix wrote in his diary: “Today was at Gericault … He is dying …” Further he writes about the friend’s works: “Beautiful etudes! What a fortress! What superiority! And die next to all these works created in all the power and passion of youth … “On January 26, 1824, Gericault passed away. “Among the greatest misfortunes that art could have suffered in our era is the death of the amazing Jerico,” Delacroix concludes sadly.