Scene of the Deluge

Théodore Géricault's 'Scene of the Deluge', originally titled 'Scène de Naufrage', is a monumental oil on canvas painting from the era of Romanticism. Created between 1818 and 1819, the painting showcases the aftermath of the wreckage of the French naval frigate Méduse, which tragically ran aground near a marina off the coast of Mauritania in July 1816. This lamentable event led to around 150 people being stranded on a hastily built raft where they struggled for survival enduring starvation, dehydration and resorting to cannibalism. Géricault chose to represent this internationally scandalous event in his first major independent work, captivated by the public's fascination with the story. This oil painting has since become an iconic piece of French Romanticism.