THEODORE GERICAULT WAS BORN IN THE YEAR 1791, IN ROUEN, FRANCE. HIS PARENTS WERE VERY WEALTHY AND AS SUCH THEODORE HAD THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO PURSUE HIS TWO FAVOURITE PASTIMES; PAINTING AND HORSE-RIDING. HIS RECKLESSNESS WITH THE LATTER, AND HIS INJURIES SUSTAINED, RESULTED IN HIS TRAGIC DEATH AT THE AGE OF 32.

THEODORE TRAINED IN THE ART STUDIOS BELONGING TO FRIENDS CARLE VERNET AND GUERIN, GREAT ARTISTS OF THEIR TIME. HOWEVER, THEODORE TOOK HIS INFLUENCES FROM ARTISTS SUCH AS CARAVAGGIO. MICHELANGELO AND RUBENS.

THE MEDUSA WAS A FRENCH MILITARY TRANSPORT FRIGATE. AS IT SAILED TO SENEGAL WITH A CARGO OF SOLDIERS AND SETTLERS, TOGETHER WITH FOOD AND SUPPLIES AND BUILDING MATERIALS, IT BECAME STUCK IN TRECHOROUS WATERS OFF THE COAST OF WEST AFRICA WHICH EVENTUALLY WRECKED THE SHIP.

HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF LIVES WHERE LOST TO THE SEAS BUT MIRACULOUSLY 150 PASSENGERS AND CREW MANAGED TO CRAM THEMSELVES ONTO A MAKE SHIFT RAFT. THIS RAFT DRIFTED FOR 14 DAYS. WITH NO FRESH WATER NOR FOOD IT WAS INEVITABLE THAT MANY MORE LIVES WOULD BE LOST. WHEN THEIR RESCUE SHIP, THE ARGOS WAS FIRST GLIMPSED ON THE HORIZON ONLY 15 SURVIVORS WERE LEFT ALIVE TO TELL THEIR SORRY TALE

RUMOURS OF CANNIBALISM ON BOARD THE RAFT WERE RIFE AMONGST THE FRENCH POPULATION. THE GOVERNMENT RESPONDED BY BLAMING THE CAPTAINS INCOMPETENCY ON KEEPING THE MEDUSA AFLOAT AND THE INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF LIFEBOATS AVAILABLE ON THE MEDUSA. THEODORES GREAT PAINTING WAS SEEN AS AN ATTACK ON THE GOVERNMENT_ WHEN THE PAINTING WAS REVEALED IN 1819 IN PARIS ITS RECEPTION WAS POOR AND THEODORE WORK WAS NEVER REALLY APPRECIATED AS A GREAT MASTERPIECE.

THE PAINTING WAS OF GIGANTIC PROPORTIONS. SOME 16 FEET HIGH AND 18 FEET ACROSS. TAKING MORE THAN 12 MONTHS TO PAINT.
THEODORE COULD NOT DECIDE WHICH MOMENT OF THE DISASTER TO PAINT, SO HE PAINTED SEVERAL PROJECT RANGING FROM THE SHIP WRECK, THE SIGHTING OF THE ARGOS, THE RESCUE, ETC. HE DEVELOPED EACH COMPOSITION IN PRECISE DETAIL UNTIL HE CHOSE TO FINALLY PAINT THE MOMENT WHEN THE SURVIVORS FIRST TOOK SIGHT OF THE RESCUE SHIP.

THEODORE BEGAN BY TRANSFERRING THE COMPOSITIONS HE HAD ALREADY WORKED ON ONTO THE HUGE CANVAS, PRODUCING A MAMMOTH CONTOUR DRAWING. HE WENT ON TO PAINT THE FIGURES FROM LIFE POSING EACH OF HIS MODELS SEPERATELY. PLACING THEM IN THE EXACT LIGHT AND POSITION AS DETAILED BY THIS DESIGN. HE THEN PAINTED THEIR BODIES INTO THE CONTOURS. THEODORE PAINTED HIS FIGURES WITH ATHLETIC BODIES, NOT FOR REALISM BUT FOR EFFECT. ALTHOUGH HE DID BASE THE HUMAN REALITY OF HIS SUBJECTS, THE TERROR AND ANGUISH, ON DYING PATIENTS FROM A LOCAL HOSPITAL, HOPITAL BEAUJON. THEODORE REGULARLY TOOK DISSECTED LIMBS AND SEVERED HEADS HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL TO PRACTISE STILL-LIFE TECHNIQUES IN HIS OWN STUDIO. OFTEN KEEPING THEIR REMAINS MANY WEEKS TO OBSERVE THEIR GRADUAL DECAY. THIS CLOSENESS TO DEATH ITSELF HELPED THEODORE GAIN A SPECIAL AUTHENTICITY FOR HIS WORK .

NOT UNTIL THE LATE 20TH CENTURY WAS THE RAFT OF THE MEDUSA APPRECIATED AS AN OUTSTANDING WORK OF THE FRENCH ROMANTIC MOVEMENT, IMMENSELY CONSTRUCTED WITH SUCH CONVICTION. THEODRE GERICAULT CAN NOW REST ASSURED HIS WORK IS SEEN AS A GREAT MASTERPEICE.

TO CELEBRATE THE WORK OF THEODORE GERICAULT DON KEY A LANE HAS RECONSTRUCTED HIS FAMOUS PAINTING. USING BEAUTIFUL MODELS AND THE GORGEOUS LIVERPOOL FOXES CHEERLEADING SQUAD. WE HAVE MANAGED NOT TO RIDICULE THEODORES WORK BUT TO EMPHASISE THE PURITY OF ITS HARSH REALITY. UNABLE TO TRANSFORM ITS ANGUISH WE HAVE MANAGED TO PIMP THE PAINTING INTO THE 21ST CENTURY.

FOR FURTHER READING ON THIS MASTERPEICE A BOOK HAS RECENTLY BEEN PUBLISHED ENTITLED 'MEDUSA: THE SHIPWRECK, THE SCANDAL, THE MASTERPEICE.' BY JONOTHON MILES. IT IS PUBLISHED BY JONATHON CAPE, RRP £17.99. THE BOOK HAS BEEN REVIEWED IN THE TIMES NEWSPAPER:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/article1543209.ece

AND OF COURSE IF YOU ARE A FAN OF THE TELEVISION PROGRAMME BIG PROTHER 2007, SHOWN ON CHANNEL 4 IN THE UK, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED THE HOUSEMATES GIVING THE RAFT OF THE MEDUSA AND THEODRE GERICAULT A SMALL BUT WARM INTRODUCTION