The Raft of the Medusa

Few paintings in the Louvre are as unforgettable as The Raft of the Medusa, but behind Théodore Géricault's masterpiece lies one of the most horrifying true stories in French history.In this episode, we uncover the disastrous 1816 voyage of the Méduse, a shipwreck caused by political favoritism, incompetence, and arrogance during the Bourbon Restoration. Stranded on a makeshift raft, 147 people faced starvation, mutiny, murder, and cannibalism in a desperate thirteen-day fight for survival, while the French government tried to bury the scandal.Discover how the testimony of the survivors inspired the young Géricault to spend months researching every detail, creating a monumental painting that became both a masterpiece of Romantic art and a powerful political statement. From the tragedy at sea to the secrets hidden within the canvas, this is the remarkable story behind one of the Louvre's greatest treasures.Support the show