Géricault's Disaster Piece: The Raft of the Medusa episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 27, 2026 · 1H 17M

Géricault's Disaster Piece: The Raft of the Medusa

from Stories of Art · host HENI Talks

How did the gruesome aftermath of a shipwreck inspire a masterpiece of Romantic art? And did Théodore Géricault really acquire body parts so he could capture the appearance of rotting flesh? Join Alastair and James as they tell the true story of a doomed ship and an extraordinary painting that laid bare the depths of humanity - The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore Géricault. If you want to see the artworks referenced in this podcast, remember you can switch to video wherever you are listening to your podcasts. Artworks in this episode include: Théodore Géricault, The Raft of the Medusa, 1819, Louvre, Paris Horace Vernet, Portrait of Théodore Géricault, c.1823, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City Théodore Géricault, An Officer of the Imperial Horse Guards Charging, 1812, Louvre, Paris To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/storiesofart or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox Additional Research: Catherine Ingram Producer and Editor: Ben Harding Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Apr 27, 2026

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Géricault's Disaster Piece: The Raft of the Medusa

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