The tragedy of Medusa was one of the worst tragedies at sea. In June of 1816, four ships sailed from France to Senegal with the new governor and expeditionary corps. The flagship, frigate Medusa, ran aground. The officers and the captain left on the boats. Only a few lived by July 17, when they were rescued, nearly all the rest were killed in fights over water.
One of the most famous paintings of the Romantic Era by French artist Theodore Gericault, “The Raft of the Medusa,” was dedicated to those tragic events. The giant canvas impresses with its expressive power. Gericault was able to recreate vivid images of people on the brink of death, joining the dead and the living, hope and despair. Significant preparatory work preceded the painting. Gericault made numerous sketches of the dying and the dead bodies of those executed.