On The Raft Of The Medusa

On The Raft Of The Medusa
The Raft of the Medusa depicts the point when, following 13 days unfastened on the raft, the rest of
the 15 survivors see a ship drawing closer from a separation (Gehrke, 2006). As indicated by an
early British analyst, the work is set at a minute when "the destroy of the pontoon might be said to
be finished". The artwork is on a stupendous size of 491 × 716 cm (193.3 × 282.3 in), so the greater
part of the figures rendered are life–sized and those in the forefront twice life–estimate, pushed near
the photo plane and swarming onto the watcher, who is drawn into the physical activity as a
member. Detail from the lower left corner of the canvas showing two dying figures The stopgap raft
is shown as scarcely fit for sailing as it rides the profound
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Rasu De La Méduse
A. Le Radeau de la Méduse or The Raft of the Medusa in English is a French romantic painting by
Théodore Géricault. It was painted in 1819. Its dimensions are 491 cm × 716 cm. It's painted on
canvas using oil paint. The painting seems to display about 15 men (still alive) struggle to survive
and finding help on the raft in the ocean where the waves and winds appear to be strong. Some of
the men in the painting are already dead. Also, the raft appears to be stable in the center but along
the ends seems to be falling apart. Therefore, maybe they've been at sea for a while. Many of the
men are also center towards the middle of the painting so your eyes will be drawn to the center.
B. I'm confused on why this paint is considered to be a

Comparing Frankenstein And The Raft Of The Medusa
The Romantic arts capture the intense turmoil caused by the mind waging war on itself. The
unsettled mind seeks out avenues of fulfillment, rationalization, confrontation and sometimes, self–
destruction. In this essay, I will compare the works of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley with the
following paintings: The Nightmare by Henry Fuseli, The Raft of the Medusa by Théodore
Géricault, Seashore with Shipwreck by Moonlight by Casper David Fredrich, and The Death of
Sardanapalus by Eugène Delacroix.
The supernatural fulfills discontentment with life and symbolizes conflict within the human mind. In
Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein becomes unfulfilled studying the natural philosophy and takes to
exploring the realm of the supernatural. He creates ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The horror of the scene is magnified by the positioning of the dead still remaining on the raft. A
body in the foreground lies partially submerged in the water, disregarded by the shipmates, as they
had foregone their emotional attachments to fulfill their instinctual need for survival. The men were
able to sustain life by consuming dead flesh, much like the creature was given life through the parts
of the dead. The novel Frankenstein and Géricault's masterpiece portray the instability of rational
planning. Similar to Victor Frankenstein, embarking on a quest of knowledge whose deviance led to
building a monster out of dead flesh, these men embarked on a rational mission for their country that
resulted in the ultimate taboo of

Neoclassical And Romantic Styles Of Art
The Neoclassical and Romanticism periods in the arts, gave way to new styles of painting. By this
time, the patrons commissioning art varied from the previous periods. Added to the list was the
Monarchy who also commissioned art, and made it public for all to see. Although, not everyone
approved of their classism, and their riches, while their subjects had very little on. I will discuss the
effect the French Revolution had on both styles of art, Neoclassical and Romanticism and show how
the same subject was viewed very differently by the artists in favor of the French Revolution, and by
the artist opposed to it, and the Monarchy.
For the Neoclassical style, I selected Jacques–Louis David's Napoleon Crossing the Alps from 1801.
It was hard not to select one of David's unofficial tributes to Napoleon, as he was a big fan. I
selected Napoleons Crossing the Alps specifically, because it is a prime example of how David used
his painting skills to convey a selective message, in this case, that Napoleon was a great heroic
General. As Ben Pollitt highlights, "The fact that Napoleon did not actually lead his troops over the
Alps but followed a couple of days after them, travelling on a narrow path on the back of a mule is
not the point!" (Pollitt via khanacademy.org, n.d.). In other words, David totally painted a delusional
story, contrary to what actually happened. Yet, David painted a taller, stronger looking Napoleon,
riding on a beautiful and muscular horse. The

How Did The Raft Of Medusa Differ From Romanticism?
The Romantic Era began in 1800 and lasted until 1850 and is the embodiment of emotion.
Romanticism only cared about one thing, emotion. Romanticism can be separated into three parts
French Romanticism, English Romanticism, American Romanticism. Theodore Gericault born 1791
and died in 1824 set forth Romanticism with his painting called The Raft of Medusa. It was based
on a ship, the Medusa, which carried French colonists to Senegal and sank off because of the
ineptitude of the Captain. Distastefully, The Captain, crew, and immigrants all escaped but later the
crew and captain cut the immigrants loose leaving them without food or water, only 15 survived.
The Raft of Medusa is a portrait of Gericault's passion and research on this catastrophe, he studied
putrid bodies, lunatics in an asylum, and even recreated the event in his studio. Dramatically, the
painting insanely impacted ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Turner and John Constable were the two English painters of the Romantic Era. John Constable lived
from 1776 to 1837 but sadly his paintings were not liked while he lived. John Constable loved
nature as a child and began painting nature in 1802. His paintings reflect his love of nature rebelling
against the coffee–colored tones used in landscapes at that time. Constable created his paintings to
simulate the shimmering of light and used vibrant colors to capture the landscapes true picture.
J.M.W. Turner lived from 1775 to 1851, he is very similar to Constable later experimenting with
vibrant colors in his own paintings. Turner differed from Constable in what he painted, he prefered
the dramatic subjects, such as fires or storms. As Turner attempted to display emotion through color
his paintings became abstract and so many critics disliked them. His paintings became so loathed
that Turner started becoming more and more reclusive, hiding with a false name from his
acquaintances. Although Constable and Turner were loathed by many, their paintings were simply
masterpieces of future

Medusa As Misogynistic
Hook: If you were in Ancient Greek time and saw woman being punished, abused or being
portrayed as misogynistic would you do something about it or would you sit at home and watch it
happen?
Main Point One: We think of Medusa as a terrible monster but she was actually a beautiful women
who was treated less than by the gods.
Main Point Two: As well as Medusa, Persephone was also a victim to misogyny.
Thesis: The ancient Greek myths that we learn in school portray woman as misogynistic, the stories
of Medusa and Persephone are two examples on how gods treat these beautiful young woman like
lesser beings.
Body Paragraph Point one:
Topic sentence: We think of Medusa as ugly, horrible monster but in reality she was a beautiful
young woman whose ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Point Two: Persephone is another example of misogyny. She was treated like property between the
two gods Hades and Zeus.
Proof for Point Two: "Hades, God of the Underworld desired Persephone to be his wife. Although
Hades' demand for Persephone's hand in marriage was refused by Demeter, Hades was not
dissuaded from his obsession with her. He pleaded with his brother Zeus to help him. The god of
lighting agreed to assist Hades." – Demeter and Persephone, Page 1, Paragraph 1, lines 2–4.
Explanation of Proof for Point Two: This proofs that even though Persephone was Zeus' daughter he
still agreed to just give her away to Hades like she was property. They didn't care about Persephone's
feelings or about the feelings of her mother, Demeter when she was lied to by Zeus about where her
daughter was.
Concluding Statement: It is clear to see that Persephone was a victim to misogyny and how the gods
Zeus and Hades treated her without any sort of respect, like dirt.
Thesis: The Ancient Greek myths that we learn in school portray woman as misogynistic, the stories
of Medusa and Persephone are two examples on how gods treat these beautiful young woman like
lesser

The Raft Of The Medusa
Why are art critiques important? What benefit can we gain from them? Art critiques give further
evaluation to art pieces that we may interpret differently. Their opinion of a piece is their own, not
intended to change others view, but this may help people understand art from different perspectives
to gain more knowledge on a piece. 2. Create your own art critique for The Raft of the Medusa. The
Raft of the Medusa, an oil painting by Jean Louis Théodore Géricault in 1819, displays a hopeless
tone by using the frantic men reaching toward the sky. The artist uses cool hue and a striking, simple
negative space to draw the viewers eye to the triangle of men. This triangle depicts a pyramid of
social classes during the time of this painting with the few fortunate men sitting atop the pyramid,
trampling those under him. The negative space the artist uses creates even more a scene of
desperation because of the storm looming and the waves about to crash. I find his use of low
intensity and cool hue to complete the pictures sense of hopelessness. ... Show more content on
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What elements or principles of art does the artist use in The Raft of the Medusa? Identify at least
four elements or principles of art in the artwork and describe how they are used. The most
effectively used element is the positive space of the jumble of men and the negative space of danger
at sea. The combination of these two create a tone of desperation among the men at sea. The next
element noticed is the calm, coolness of colors selected to create a peaceful appearance despite the
pieces intense situation. The shape of the formation of the men creates a triangle depicting the social
class system of their time in society. Texture is the final element used to show the harshness of the
cold wind and

Raft of the Medusa Essay
Raft of the Medusa Theodore Gericault,Raft of the Medusa, 1818–1819 [oil on canvas]491X716cm
The Raft of the Medusa was created by Theodore Gericault in the years 1818 and 1819 during the
French Romantic period. This oil painting, which stands at a massive 491x716cm, was created to
capture the tragedy of the Medusa.This essay discusses what the Raft of the Medusa was, the
reasons behind why Theodore Gericault made this painting and the political impacts it had at the
time it was made. The 'Medusa' was a french frigate that set sail in 1816 from Rochefort heading to
Senegalese. Harris (2011) states that Gericault read an account by survivors about the tragedy of the
shipwreck and was intrigued to learn more. He learnt that the ... Show more content on
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In the time when the French salon would have been looking for a Rococo style painting of important
figures and royalty to hang in their gallery they accepted Gericault's work as it was an extreme
change from the typical types of paintings they hung. It represented the nameless souls who fought
to stay alive upon the raft. Jeffaris (2005) exclaims "This event was a political scandal – and
Gericault's painting – an exposé – a 17th Century tabloid headline!". They knew it would create a
stir and grasp attention, and it has become iconic for the the way in witch it broke traditions. This
event had a huge effect publicly because of the fact that the lower ranking people were left behind to
die while the wealthier and more important people escaped on life rafts. This is quite metaphorical
of the political situation in France in this period (after revolution) as the wealthy got wealthier and
the poor were left to starve and die. Its ironic that this painting of such a horrible event was such a
symbol of hope for the lower class of France at the time. It showed the strength of the weak and
poor, it showed that the lower class had the strength to survive even after the wealthy had taken
everything and left them to die. Giving hope to the lower tier of society that anyone can make it
regardless of their status. From the description of Medusa (n.d.) the raft of the medusa was
"Intended as a political statement about the disorderly state of the French

On The Raft Of The Medusa
"A Historical Painting" If there was ever a painting that historical significance, The Raft of the
Medusa would definitely be the one. This painting was considered a major piece of work during the
19th century and this was definitely considered a period piece because it was during the Romantic
period. On July 5th1816, a raft went down in shark infested waters off of the coast of Africa, with
hundred's crewmember's on board and of those men that were there, only 15 survived. The Raft of
the Medusa was based off of this shipwrecked frigate, the Medusa, it had ran ashore on the west
coast of Africa. Altogether, the Medusa carried over four hundred colonists and soldiers, but there
were not enough lifeboats for everyone so they built a raft. Furthermore, this raft was assembled
from wood, this raft was meant to hold those soldiers and colonists that were low–ranking and low–
status. What happened next was a tragedy, the raft was meant to only hold so many and as a result
the raft began to submerge under water. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These tragic events culminated in a scandal, the likes the world has not seen in sometime. This
tragedy happened because of the incompetency and the unskillfulness of the captain. But the real
story behind this catastrophe had to do with the ineptness of the leaders, the Bourbons, The Raft of
the Medusa, eventually became a symbol of a country that was meandering away because the lack
of experience by their leaders. In other words, the painting itself reflected how both the captain, as
well as the leaders of the French government as not being competent enough to rightly lead its

The Raft Of The Medusa And The Nightmare
Although the untrained observer may see The Raft Of The Medusa by Jean–Louis–Theodore
Gericault and The Nightmare by John Henry Fuseli as belonging to the same artistic group for their
dark color palette and scary, somewhat "gothic" imagery, they're from two artistic movements that
are actually very different; the Neoclassical Era (1750–1860) and the Romantic Era (1800–1880).
The Raft Of The Medusa is very unique for a Neoclassical painting in that it portrays a then–
contemporary event (and not a very noble one, to boot) rather than the era's usual heroic ancient
subject matter but, if you look very carefully, the Neoclassical elements are still there in full force.
For example, while you'd expect the survivors of a shipwreck to be emaciated, probably diseased
etc., Gericault portrays the survivors in the painting with more idealized, strong, healthy bodies
which, while incongruous with the situation at hand as I said before, fits perfectly within
Neoclassical ideals because it reflects the Classical tradition of always presenting the idealized
human form, no matter what the situation. There is also a homage to Dante in the fact that the
positions of a group of figures on the raft are meant to mirror those in a depiction of Count Ugolino
and his sons. Also, Neoclassical paintings featured a heavy use of chiaroscuro (contrast between
light and shadow for dramatic effect) and The Raft Of The Medusa has that in spades with the
sunlight just barely peeking out behind the cloud

Theodore Gericault's Raft Of The Medusa
The work of art from the reading I chose to explain how it exemplifies the characteristics of the
Romantic period is Theodore Gericault's "Raft of the Medusa". The story behind this painting goes
that a ship ran aground off the coast of France, due to the incapability of it's captain who was
appointed as captain as a political favor, not out of any previous sea faring knowledge or experience.
The ship The Medusa crashed, and began to sink. There were not enough life boats for everyone, so
the life boats were filled by the captain and crew and prestigious passengers and the rest were left to
fend for themselves. They built a raft of the timbers of the ship and after a while of paddling they
abandoned that and just drifted. The people were out

The World Is Too Much With Us By William Wordsworth
The Romantic period is a time when artists, poets, and writers turned their views from the eighteenth
century focus on reason and thinking. They now emphasize imagination and beauty in nature.
Reason and thinking are no longer the way to see how the world works, how to gain experience,
imagination is. Literature, writing, and art during this time find a new respect and love for nature,
the common man and childhood, senses, individual, and imagination. People at the time were also
intrigued by darker and exotic things. They felt as if it was finally acceptable to rebel, "think outside
the box", and focus on human rights. Although Romantics were concentrating on these good ideas,
all of their work was not always the most pleasant. Often times it would involve death or darkness.
The Romantic period is complex one filled with contradicting and empowering ideas and works that
are remembered very well. The Raft of the Medusa was painted approximately in 1818–1819 by a
prodigious French painter Theodore ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It emphasizes that the world today is too materialistic and distracted. This poem argues that there is
too much happening in the world that people often times do not appreciate it and see what it truly is.
Instead of being amazed and recognizing the beauty of nature, people ignore it and do not care since
they see it all of the time. The speaker says that people will go as far as selling their souls to
accumulate other things. The sonnet is an extended metaphor that compares the speaker to a pagan
to explain that the speaker would much rather worship other gods in order to make himself less
upset over the situation. He feels that pagans have a much stronger appreciation and love for nature.
This pagan influence can also be seen when the speaker refers to Greek gods. According to the
speaker, those gods have power over nature but still appreciates

The Raft of the 'Medusa' by Theodore Gericault
The Raft of the 'Medusa' by Theodore Gericault is considered by many to be one of the greatest
paintings of Romantic Art. Here I will discuss Romantic Art, some history behind the painting, the
painting in general, and to prove why the first statement is true. If we are going to call this painting
Romantic Art one must first know what it actually is or have some sort of idea what is counted as
Romanticism or as something that Romantics would do. Romanticism celebrates the spontaneity and
the use of the imagination. Abandoning tradition constraints of the art world to explore new and
creative ways of expression. Possibly seen as intuitive individualism and primacy of feeling.
Romantics didn't reject reason but though emotions were ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
He interviewed the survivors, drew mutilated corpses in the Paris morgue, and had a model created
in his studio of the raft. The painting was 16 feet 1 inch by 23 feet 6 inches so it is huge in size and
the dramatic impact was just as amazing. This gave the people a record of an event that happened in
a time before photography. At first glance a viewer might just see people huddled on a raft together,
a couple waving down a ship, and trying to get someone off canvases attention while others try to
keep those who are weaker on the raft. But if they look closer they might notice other things of
interest that are commonly found in Romanticism or Romantic Art. Gericault use of the double
triangles in this image of the mast and rope help keep the main focus on the people on the raft who
are dying or dead. Suffering against heat, dehydration, starvation, and forced to canalize each other
to survive which is a true struggle against nature but also against ones self. It would be a very
horrific and emotional experience for anyone to have to choose between eating another human being
or dying of starvation. He focuses on the true emotion, the disgusting horror of the event, and what
had to be done or was done to survive. It has very rustic looking colors in the image, reds, oranges,
yellows, browns, blacks, and grays that give it an autumn like color theme. This gives you a sense
that they

The Raft Of The Medusa Essay
The Raft of the Medusa depicts the minute when, following thirteen days drifting on the raft, the
remainder of the fifteen survivors see a ship drawing nearer from a distance. Nau of these people
that a pictured surviving on the raft were most likely cannibals. Cannibalism was the only way that
the survivors were successful. Per an early British analyst, the work is set at a minute when "the ruin
of the raft may be said to be complete". The depiction is very large, so that the greater part of the
figures rendered are life–sized and those in the frontal area twice life–measure, pushed near the
photo plane and swarming onto the viewer, who is drawn into the physical activity as a member.
Gericault's painting was designed in a pyramid form, which comes full circle in the figure of the
negro waving a cloth toward the boat seen in the distance. In any case, the composition of the
painting gives such energy to the idea of hope among the wrecked survivors. The raggedy raft is
displayed as unsafe as it rides the profound waves, while the men are rendered as shattered and in
despair. One old man holds the cadaver of his child at his knees; another removes his hair in
dissatisfaction ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Tragically, neither the French Academy the gatekeeper of the guidelines of scholastic workmanship
nor the administration saw any advantage in empowering this kind of emotionalism. As anyone
might expect in this way, despite its painterly qualities, the Medusa was not generally welcomed by
the critics, nor was it purchased by the administration as Gericault had hoped it would be.
Disappointed by his relative disappointment after so much exceptional work, he took the artwork to
England right on time in 1820; he made a lot of cash by demonstrating it there in a travelling

Cannibalism In The Medusa By Theodore Gericault And...
Artist's within the Romantic period reacted to the brutalities of inhumane occurrences in the world.
Romanticism was an art movement that occurred in the 19th century in which undoubtedly allowed
artists to react personally and emotionally to a specific subject matter. Contrasting to the refined
period of Neoclassicism, Romantics broke it's conformist, logic of the movement. The use of
centring the human figure as the dominant feature embodied the tortuous and ghastly occurrences of
war, depicting terror within their works. Theodore Gericault and Francisco Goya both made sense of
their world by expressing what they critically believed needed to be shown, the horrific act of
inhumanity.
The determined, passionate artist Gericault depicted the horrific act of abandonment of man at sea,
the Medusa which occurred in 1819. Departing from the Senegal, one hundred and forty–seven
french men and women were left knowingly abandoned on a makeshift after the wreckage on the
coast of Africa. Lacking lifeboats, individuals built a raft in order to survive whilst their conceited
captain boarded a lifeboat to safety. Upon the Medusa, individuals experienced episodes of
immeasurable starvation, extreme insanity and the beastly act of cannibalism for approximately
thirteen days.
Undoubtedly, the chaotic circumstance of soldiers and settlers were significantly portrayed by the
artist. "Neither poetry or painting can ever do justice to the horror and anguish of the men on the
raft."

Analysis Of The Raft Of Medusa
What's so great about this artwork? How can a photo give a sense of emotion? This is all questions
the painting; the raft of medusa answers. Theodore Gericault uses smart angels and pigmentation of
different bland of colors to give different sense of emotion from just one painting.
The question as a novelist Julian Barnes asked, "how do you turn catastrophe into art?" to
understand this artwork, we must look back to the origin of the painting. The raft of the medusa was
one of the most important masterpieces of the 19th century. As it was one of the earliest well–known
romantic painting. What makes it important is how the artist Theodore Gericault came to paint such
a confronting image but before I go on, there is a backstory to understand what motivated him to
pursue such a painting. Theodore Gericault came from a wealthy French family and shows for his
vocation in life to be an artist. He left France to gain some inspiration from Rome, while away he
missed all the news on the scandal of the event. The event which lead to the raft of the medusa was
the captain of the ship. Who was given the job of leading the ship not for his skills but because of
his royal connections as he was the king's representative. The captain was more interested in
impressing the soon to be governor of Senegal. The shipwreck would've never have happened if he
did not try to impress the governor. The captain pushed the crew to move to fast and along the shore.
Bad idea as the medusa ran ashore on a

Pablo Picasso Guernica vs. Theodore Gericault's Raft of...
For centuries artists have moved audiences through the use of pictures. As time progressed those
images became more and more demanding of the viewer until they were meant to invoke a physical
response. Perhaps the earliest account of such emotionally exact artwork is the 1818 piece, Raft of
the Medusa, by Theodore Gericault. As time progressed people became more politically aware and
involved and generations of art portrayed this. Pablo Picasso's Guernica, created in 1937, is a great
example of how modern times soon saw a peak in the occurrence of allegorical and politically
packed artworks. Gericault's The Raft of the Medusa and Picasso's Guernica are both horrifying
accounts of the nature of men that aimed to alter a viewer's political ... Show more content on
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This predominantly two–toned color motif allowed for more focus to be drawn to the most dynamic
figures, which are the same humans Gericault wanted viewers to see and sympathize for.
While Gericault's, Raft of the Medusa was essentially criticized for its lack of direct criticism of the
event and more a display of the human element, it is this feature that made it characteristically
romantic. Gericault took the national scandal out of the papers and turned it into a personal event for
each of the passengers. Rather than depict the weltering bodies of the crew, he gave them more
muscular frames in vigorous poses. Originally setting out to portray the event as nothing more than
a visual truth, he shifted his focus to portray a greater truth of suffering.
The suffering is reflected in the face of every passenger and it is the main focus of the piece than
any other element. The Raft's theme of human suffering evoked empathy and compassion, which
helped project the image beyond any hopes the artist could have held for the piece. This
predominant focus on the human condition allowed a stereotypical Romantic piece. Another artist
famous for highlighting the human condition was Spanish–born, Pablo Picasso.
In 1936 the Spanish government commissioned Picasso to paint a feature piece for their
international exposition in Paris at the peak of World War II. Picasso was unsure of what to paint
until in 1937 when Nazi warplanes bombed the Spanish town of

Research Paper On The Minotaur
Paris can be a very busy city, tourists trying to snap as many pictures of monuments as they can,
stop and go traffic on every street, and impatient Parisians who are just trying to get to work and
away from tourists. The reason for all of this bustle is because Paris hosts some of the most famous
attractions in the world! The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and the Centre Pompidou are at the center of
these attractions in Paris.
Known for its renowned art, the Louvre is one of Paris' most famous art museums. Inside its walls,
more than 35,000 paintings, drawings, and sculptures reside. In the Louvre, tourists will find many
well–known paintings, drawings, and sculptures. The most famous is the Mona Lisa, painted by
Leonardo Da Vinci. Originally ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The tower stands in the seventh arrondissement (district), is rich in history, and is one of the most
visited attractions in Paris. The Eiffel Tower was built in 1889 for the World's Fair and was the main
attraction at the fair. It was constructed to commemorate the French Continental Army. This
memorial was no easy feat to build. Each of the 18,00 pieces used to construct the tower was
specifically made for this creation. Two–and–a–half million thermally assembled rivets later, this
324–metre tower was successfully finished. Although many people think Gustave Eiffel is to credit
for much of this creation, there are two other men, Maurice Koechlin and Emile Nouguier, who
should be credited. According to Life Science.com, Koechlin and Nouguier are actually the ones
who came up with the original designs for the tower. Thanks to the work of Koechlin, Nouguier, and
Eiffel, the tower is Paris's most visited attraction. According to Frommer's Guide to Paris, on a high
day, the tower can host over 32,000 people. That adds up to about 7 million visitors a year. When
visiting this historic monument, a tourist should keep in mind the rich history and process involved
in making this big

The Raft Of Medusa
The Romantic Period of Art was unlike any other period of art because of the level of emotion
behind each painting or work of out. Most of the works of art I have come across have been very
dramatic and emotional for the audience. The one that I am going to focus on is The Raft of Medusa.
The Raft of Medusa is an oil painting from 1818–1819 by Theodore Gericult of France. This
painting shows me that Theodore was trying to show his viewers what it was like for a ship to rec
and having the passengers struggling to survive. The background of this story comes from a ship
went down and the crew men were started to worry. Struggling for their lives they began to become
crazy. Some even began eating each other and struggling to remain on that little

INTRODUCTION
I spent four years of my childhood in Emilia–Romagna, Italy. I witnessed how the incredibly rich
artistic heritage of the region did not only grace its landscape and streets: these artworks created a
historical consciousness amongst people, which was very strongly tied into their sense of identity.
Understanding the amount of impact an artistic movement or even a single artwork can have on a
society has fed my natural interest in art history and led me to study this subject on my own. While
Gericault's The Raft of the Medusa was an evitable piece when studying the launch of French
Romanticism, it wasn't until I stood on the polished floors of Louvre and admired its rich
brushstrokes that I understood why so many artists throughout time have been inspired by this piece.
The Raft of the Medusa was painted in 1818–1819 by French painter Théodore Géricault based on
the contemporary event of a government ship, The Medusa, that sank when carrying colonists to
Senegal and led 149 passengers to drift on a raft for 12 days without food and water. Due to its
graphic and raw illustration of human suffering, and the political implications related to the
incompetence of the government appointed captain, the painting created a huge sensation.
In this study, I will investigate the research question "What has made Gericault's The Raft of the
Medusa such an enduring image?" This will be done by first analysing the painting itself, both
looking at the technical aspects of

The Raft Of Medusa
The Painting that I have chosen to write about for this blog is "The Raft of Medusa". I think this is
great painting that has a lot of aspects of the romantic time period. One that sticks out is the display
of nature and its portrayal of the intense and destructive power. This painting is about a crew of
sailors that lost their boat due to a terrible storm out on sea and they all had to make shift this raft
and just float to where ever the current wanted to take them. Gericault, the artist, wanted to make
sure we had a sense of awe and bewilderment when we saw this painting. He brought a feeling of
nervousness when we think about the vast ocean and what it can do to us if we are not careful. I also
think Gericault wanted to portray

The Oppression Of Truth In Romantic Art
Jaehun Lee
10/12/17
First Writing Assignment
Realist artists, writers, and playwrights strived to portray objective reality in opposition to what they
saw as excessive dependence on the subjective imagination in Romantic Art. They did this to
portray the plight of the lower and middle class, and provided influential social commentary. For
example, Daumier's First Class Carriage and Third Class Carriage showed the stark contrast
between the lives of the rich and the poor. However, purely realist art cannot capture the object for
what it truly is because the "truth" extends far beyond the literal "truth" that realists defined it to be.
Second, reality expressed through a medium puts it through the filter of our interpretation,
fundamentally ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Renoir – Dance At The Moulin De La Galette ii. 2. Each individual's experience leads to many
different interpretations of the same object
a. Apple: our different interpretations of what an apple is metaphorical of show that humans are
naturally inclined to try to derive meaning from everything around us
b. Examples: The Veteran in the New Field (Homer) using a scythe instead of modern technology
i. Various interpretations:
1. Metaphor for the death that allowed people like this veteran to settle and work the land
2. Inequality after the war ii. Focus on the detail
Narrow scope focus on 2 works, describe in detail on what's going on
Géricault movement toward realism, but a Romantic painting
Courbet moving in a slightly different direction
Artist symbolizing the situation of the artist Baudiliere symbolizes the poet a layer of meaning,
symbolism
Leaving behind the idea of "literal realism" concrete, physical reality can't keep symbolism out
of the painting entirely, it seeps in
Géricault is a romantic moving into the realist direction
Courbet is a realist painting moving away from realism No ideas, no abstraction, but it's problematic
How do both of these paintings cross the lines of romanticism and

Solitude is greatly expressed throughout the Raft of the Medusa and is exemplifying Burke's
sublime to perfection. Surrounded by death and the open sea, solitude could not have been more
pronounced. With the only chance of survival miles away on the horizon, the men are stranded. No
one and nothing is around to save them. The compositional spacing in the painting also connects the
painting to the solitude that Burke describes in his sublime. Grouping the stranded men together in
the bottom left of the painting while a distant ship is barely seen along the horizon in the upper right
exemplifies the impending doom and distress approaching the isolated men. This example of
solitude relates to Burke's solitude rather than Kant's because Burke's

Oath Of The Horatii By Jacques-Louis David
Oath of the Horatii
Jacques–Louis David (1784)
This painting holds an important place in the work Jacques–Louis David and in historical French art.
Commissioned by the administrator of royal residences in 1784, the story involved in the painting
takes place during the wars between Rome and Alba in 669 B.C. "It has been decided that the
dispute between the two cities must be settled by an unusual form of combat to be fought by two
groups of three champions each. The two groups are the three Horatii brothers and the three Curiatii
brothers. The drama lay in the fact that one of the sisters of the Curiatii, Sabina, is married to one of
the Horatii, while one of the sisters of the Horatii, Camilla, is betrothed to one of the Curiatii.
Despite the ties between the two families, the Horatii's father exhorts his sons to fight the Curiatii
and they obey, despite the lamentations of the women". ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The viewer's eye observes two orders within the painting, that of both the figures and the décor, Due
to the groupings of three. This all contributes to the appeal of the elder Horiatis in the center upheld
loudly with a show of strength. The distance between the figures gives more depth to the contrast of
the overall painting. While the painting is painted in great detail, one can notice that the décor has
been reduced to a more abstract order. "The contemplative atmosphere is softened by shades of
green, brown, pink, and red, all very

Raft Of Medusa Essay
I chose to right about the Raft of Medusa by the French Romantic painter and lithographer Théodore
Géricault. This style of art is Romanticism. This painting took place three years after the actual
event. This painting is about a raft that was build when the medusa ship was sinking. This raft was
asked to build by the captain because they didn't have enough life boats. There were at least 150
people on this raft and only about 15 people made it out alive after being rescued by another ship.
The 'Medusa' was a ship that had been carrying French colonists to Senegal, and sand sank off the
west coast of Africa due to incompetence on the part of the captain, who was a political appointee
which provoked a political scandal in France. The occupants

Raft Of The Medusa Essay
The Raft of the Medusa, is considered a classic of the Romantic Movement painted by Theodore
Gericault when he was just 27 years old.The painting done by this spectacular man represents a
tragedy of destruction of a story which isn't actually a myth but a true story. "The Medusa (or
Méduse) was a French naval frigate that boasted 40 guns and fought in the Napoleonic Wars of the
early 19th century. Remarkably, the ship survived these maritime battles only to crash on a sandbank
in 1816 during an attempt to colonize Senegal. A shortage of lifeboats sent sailors scrambling to
build a raft. Only 10 of approximately 150 people who boarded the raft lived through this
catastrophe. Shortly thereafter, Géricault drew his inspiration from the accounts of two survivors." (
Kristy Puchko ,Mental Floss Article) .After crash on a sandbank" Everyone was forced to abandon
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
What followed was a two week nightmare of stormy seas, brutal murders, insanity and cannibalism.
Just fifteen men survived the ordeal, and five of them died shortly after their rescue."(Steve Durbin
,Art and Perception Article). The Raft of the Medusa painting measures roughly 16 feet 1 inch by 23
feet *6 inches, making it almost as large as life–the raft itself was 23 feet by 66 feet. The Painting
has the effect of dominating the observer and adding a memorable presence to the characters. The
painting done by Theodore Gericault on page 260 and 261 in The Humanistic tradition .It portrayed
the survivors at their dreadful moment, surrounded by corpses and about to be abandoned by a raft
in the distance. Theodore focused the painting on the moment the survivors saw the rescue ship. In
my opinion Theodore Gericault really endeavored to capture what happened of the raft that day.Not
only did he interview a few of the survivors and sketched a few drawings of the corpse in the Paris
morgue;but he actually had the raft constructed in his

What Influenced The French Revolution
The French revolution was a revolution that happened in France which started in the year 1789 and
ended in the year 1799. It was caused by the rigidness of the old order in the face of a changing
world. There were also aggrieved peasants who were influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment.
There other factors that had influenced the French Revolution include the scarcity of food that had
lasted for several years. There was also an unmanageable debt that was caused by an inefficient tax
system. The French got fed up with the way the King and queen were running things. They burned
down stores and stole things and they were no longer following the King's orders. They ended up
killing the King and Queen and replaced them with Napoleon.
The French revolution played a very important role when it came to shaping the way art and
sculpture was done in France. There was the rise of Neoclassicism which was linked to the
Revolution. Artists like Jacques–Louis David served in propaganda programs of the revolutionary
factions as well as Napoleon's. His art was influenced by artists such as Caravagio and Poussin and
adopted their contrasts to color, clear tones and firm contours. "He gave his figures structural mass
and arranged them friezelike in emphatic compositions that were meant to inspire his fellow citizens
to noble action."
One ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Romantic art was mainly based on emotion and imagination. An example of a painting that was
done during the French Revolution would be the Raft of the Medusa by Theodore Gericault. The
painting shows men who are on a ship and are struggling against the sea with the victims trying their
best to survive. The painting showed horror and was based on a true story. The people are shown as
three dimensional. The people on the ship were shown on the painting as muscular and healthy. The
painting was painted after the Medusa crashed on a sandbank in an attempt by the French to
colonize

The Raft of the Medusa and the Roots of Romanticism
The transition from Neoclassicism to Romanticism arose from a desire for freedom of thought.
Romantics truly believed that the pathway to freedom was through imagination rather than logic and
functioned based on emotion rather than on cognition. The Romantic Movement recognized passion
and sentiment as genuine sources of aesthetic experience, and placed a new emphasis on sensations
such as apprehension, awe, horror and the sublimity of untamed nature. Théodore Géricault, who is
most famously known for The Raft of the Medusa, was a prominent French painter and one of the
most influential pioneers of the Romantic Movement. In The Raft of the Medusa, Géricault, unlike
most artists during this stylistic time period, rejected the Neoclassical ... Show more content on
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In addition, because Géricault studied the human anatomy very closely throughout his lifetime, he
was able to outline the passengers' bodies in The Raft of the Medusa with intricacy. Ultimately,
Géricault was able to configure the passengers' precise muscle definitions and skin tones through his
meticulous use of oil, pigment, chalk, varnish and wax ("Géricault's Expenses" 638). In addition, the
dimensionality and accurate portioning of the humans' bodies enhances the scene's intensity. This
Romantic appreciation for histrionics and naturalism greatly differs from the ideals supported during
the Neoclassical Period. The Neoclassical Period renewed an admiration for the classical antiquity,
which incorporated the subjects of ancient art. For example, in comparison to Angelica Kauffman's
Mother of the Gracchi, the skin definition and tone differences are evident. In Kauffman's piece, the
characters display unnaturally smooth and relatively undefined complexions. However, in The Raft
of the Medusa, the characters exhibit defined, and properly positioned and configured bodies in
relation to another. Thus, Géricault's appreciation of human anatomy and configuration creates a
naturalistic and lifelike scene within the painting. In The Raft of the Medusa, the most crucial aspect
in relation to Romanticism is the incorporation of intense emotion as an authentic source of

Analysis Of Ship Wreak Scene : The Raft Of The Medusa
In 1816, the French government sent a convoy of ships to set up a colony in Senegal. Hugues Duroy
de Chaumareys, who was lacking in both authority and experience, was appointed by the king to be
the Captain of the ship (Brandt 132). When the ship ran aground, officers and officials filled up the
life boats, leaving about 150 men to float on a quickly made raft with nothing but a small amount of
wine for sustenance, forcing them to cannibalism. The raft was found 13 days later, with only 15
men left living. When Theodore Gericault found out about this, he set out to seek justice for the
tragedy that was the Medusa (Gericault video kanopy). Alothough it was initially titled "Ship Wreak
Scene", the Raft of the Medusa was immediately recongnized by the pubic as an image of the
horrific event that it was (Gericault video kanopy). Not only were critics appalled at the romantic art
style defined by the "spiraling energy and brushstrokes", but the general public recognized the
"scathing commentary on the ineptitude of the restoration government" (Mary's video). Paintings of
this size were normally reserved for heroic subjects. However, this painting was the direct opposite
of that. It is directly addressing the monarch's "indifference to the suffering of others", and this
message was not lost on its viewers (Brandt 133). The art style of the Raft of the Medusa was
"progressive and modern" because of the life and energy that portrayed in it. The painting has an
emphasis on

The The Wreck of the Medusa Essay
"In the moonlight's ghostly glow,
I waken in a dream.
Once more upon the raft I stand,
Upon the raging sea.
In my ears the moans and screams
Of the dying ring,
Somewhere in the darkness
The siren softly sings..."
"The architects of our doom
Around their tables sit,
And in their thrones of power,
Condemn those they've cast adrift.
Echoes down the city street,
Their Harpies laughter rings.
Waiting for the curtain call,
Oblivious in the wings."
Excerpt from the lyrics, "The Wake of the Medusa", By The Pogues
"The Raft of the Medusa", by Theodore Gericault, 1819, was inspired by the catastrophic wreck of
the French frigate, The Medusa, on July 2, 1816, off the west coast of Africa, during a voyage to
Senagal. The ship ran aground on ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
A raft was constructed from the masts and crossbeams of The Medusa, to carry the crew, soldiers
and some of the passengers. Due to there only being six lifeboats aboard, the dignitaries, their
families and other higher ranking officials took possession of them, leaving approximately 150
members for the raft. Seventeen crewmen decided, for whatever reason, to remain on The Medusa.
Those in the lifeboats quickly decided that towing the raft was impractical, and Governor Schmaltz,
not Captain De Chaumereys, was the first to drop the tow line to the raft, leaving it to the cruelty of
the open sea.
On the raft, the situation quickly deteriorated, and panic consumed those aboard. Fighting broke out,
provisions were destroyed and the Raft of the Medusa's infamous voyage commenced.
The first night 20 men were killed, or committed suicide, in a struggle to defeat terror, fear and
dread. The undisciplined soldiers quickly staged a mutiny, eventually committed cannibalism and
other atrocities, and 13 days later, 15 of the original 150 that went into the ocean survived to be

rescued.
The following material is from eye witness accounts of two of The Medusa's survivors, the ship's
Surgeon, Henri Savigny and ship's Geographer, Alexander Correard. Much of the testimony of the
two survivors was released to an anti–Bourbon newspaper, resulting in a scandal and political
cover–up, and the court martial of Captain De Chaumereys.
According to the accounts

Romanticism And Realism
Accessing the "real" has been a central question of all art and philosophical movements since
Aristotle and Plato. Two influential movements in art–Romanticism and Realism–offered different
interpretations of the "real." In a reaction against the Enlightenment thinkers, Romantic artists
viewed the "real" as an individual's emotional reaction to an experience. Realist artists strived to
portray a literal reality in response to what they saw as a skewing of reality in Romanticism. For
them, the "real" consisted only of what the artist could see and was largely absent of symbolism and
metaphorical meaning. Some of the most influential artwork, however, comes in the transitional
time periods between different movements because it provides insight into the ebb and flow of these
distinct artistic styles. This is especially clear in The Raft of the Medusa, painted at the beginning of
the Realism period, and The Painter's Studio, painted at its end. The paintings' favoring of a "third
way" definition of reality remains important because it heavily influences our current definition of
"the real."
Theodore Géricault's most famous work, The Raft of the Medusa, foreshadowed a move toward
Realism away from the purely Romantic style. Several aspects of the painting are consistent with
Romanticism. The figures in the painting are idealized, reminiscent of Classical Greek portrayals of
man. No one appears to be suffering from starvation, disease, or cannibalism; everyone looks
healthy and

Of Theodore Gericault's Artwork 'Raft Of The Medusa'
VISUAL ARTS TASK 3
HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL
Question 1: Practice
Theodore Gericault's artwork 'The Raft of the Medusa' was produced between 1818 and 1819, it is
regarded as a quintessential Romantic painting and an icon of Romanticism. The painting's alludes
to governmental negligence and corruption that ignited great controversy and brought Gericault
widespread attention.
This painting depicts an event of human and political aspects that greatly interested Gericault who
chose to display it at a monumental scale to portray the horrifying explicitness of the Senegal, 1816
shipwreck in which the captain had deserted his crew and passengers, leaving them to die.
Gericault was captivated by the accounts of the widely publicised 1816 shipwreck ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
The portrayal was throughout the application of charcoal pencil on paper that is 33cm x 28cm. Some
have considered that O'Doherty has always been something of an outsider when it comes to the art
world, this thought originates from his style of peculiarity, semi–surreal landscapes and figures with
hyper–real colouring and strange distortion in contrast to other artworks that have the rigid confines
of contemporary art. On the day O'Doherty left Sydney to France, he banged his hand and lifted the
nail on his thumb, it then became infected by the time he arrived in Paris. Upon his arrival he
consulted a French doctor who prescribed him painkillers that allowed him to produce a modicum of
drawings. 'Fire with Fleeing Houses' expresses Chris O'Doherty feelings about bushfires in Australia
and their effects on people and their property this notion is presented through placing the houses on
the bodies of humans, as generally through people are trying to escape the bushfire by running away
from it, this design incorporates his semi–surrealistic landscape. The use of charcoal displays his
style of hyper–real colouring as seen through the colouring of the flames. The tones start of dark in
the background but gradually become lighter and more vibrants as it reaches the foreground. The
middle house running is the centre of attention as it surrounded by lighter tones which highlights
that area around the house also through the use of lines drawing the eye towards

Raft Of The Medusa Essay
when Géricault was 27 years old, painted The Raft of the Medusa. Which is considered a classic of
the Romantic Movement.In its brutality, realism, and raw emotion it captures the essence of a
historic event that shocked the French public. The story behind the painting is as devastating as
shown on the canvas.The Medusa was a French naval vessel that was on course off the coast of
Africa before running aground on a sandbar near Mauritania around July 1816. After few days of
trying to pry the ship free, the crew and passengers took to the ship's six small lifeboats. There was a
problem, there were 400 people on board, while the boats only had the capacity to carry
approximately 250. As a result, 146 men and one woman were loaded onto a wooden

The Raft Of Medusa By Theodore Gericault
While searching through all the photos in the Romanticism reading, i decided to chose one particular
piece of artwork to write about. I chose to write about The Raft of Medusa, by Theodore Gericault.
This piece of art work is so eye catching and really shows many characteristics of the Romantic
period. Just from the first glimpse of this piece of artwork, one can be filled with unbridled, deep–
felt emotion. This piece of artwork has some very emotional extremes. The bodies of the people that
are laying on the raft, most of them are dead, but others look as if they are in pain and are suffering.
The facial expressions of these people are are not good. Some look as if they are being tortured,
some look very sad, but most of them look helpless

Théodore Gericault's The Raft Of The Medusa
Théodore Géricault Theodore Gericault was an artist during the romantic era which was toward the
end of the 18th century. Romanticism is an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in the
late 18th century and stressed strong emotion, imagination, freedom from classical art forms, and
rebellion against social conventions Theodore had a great impact on the art world. He inspired many
famous artists such as Eugene Delacroix. Many artists from all around the world explored his work.
Mostly his work contains human nature. The Raft of the Medusa is one of the most famous paintings
in the world. It has a very strong message it's trying to give out. It was painted from 1818–1819.
Théodore Géricault, or Jean–Louis–André–Théodore Géricault ... Show more content on
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The painting's first critics were divided in their assessments by their political and artistic ideologies.
Some critics thoughts when they first witnessed the masterpiece desired a picture more blatant in
social criticism while others felt that the painting derided the very patriotism they felt needed
protection. Artistically too Gericault's masterwork was found to be mysterious. He followed no
artistic school coherently and attempted a fusion of sorts that was unprecedented in his day. His
work overtime has dramatically changed. Even though all of his artwork has a certain deep meaning
his early artwork had less influence on people. But now he has such a great influence on people that
he needs to be careful about what he put out there. Most of the people all around the globe thinks
that his late work is better than, or at least has more influence on people than his early work. He has
such a big influence on many people it is astonishing. Especially on other artists such as Eugene
Delacroix. He inspired many artists to be such a big influence just like him and follow his

Raft Of The Medusa 'And The World Is Too Much With Us'
Aishah Tasneem
October 20, 2015
Muharram 7, 1437
Fareeda Abdur–Rahman
Romanticism
Romanticism emerged in the 18th–19th centuries (primarily in opposition to Neo–Classism) as a
way to express, as Victor Hugo said, "liberalism in literature." The Romantic way of thinking
emphasized freedom from rules, and individuality. Many works of art and pieces of literature were
made following this theme, among them the painting, "Raft of the Medusa" and the poem the "The
World is too Much with us".
The "Raft of the Medusa" is a painting done by Theodore Gericault in the 1800s. It is modeled after
the tragedy that was the shipwreck of the French naval frigate, Méduse, and it depicts the survivors
who were adrift on the raft.
The poem, "The World is too much with us" is a sonnet written by the Englishman William
Wordsworth in 1802. The composition is a romantic and satirical piece criticizing the people of the
"modern world" for their materialistic values and their disregarding of nature.
Both of these works are the epitome of Romanticism, as they both highlight the focal points of
Romantic thought; interest in the common man, strong senses and emotions, awe of nature,
celebration of the individual, and the importance of imagination.
The Romantics' enjoy the struggle of "the common man", and judging by the attire of the men on the
"Raft of the Medusa", they are peasants–just poor, everyday guys. These men have been subjected to
this terrible fate by the actions of those more fortunate

Romanticism In The Raft Of The Medusa
Romanticism, like most artistic movements, can best be understood when juxtaposed with history. It
was a time of uprisings and conflicts, of liberal thought and confrontation–and the winds of change
swept away everyone and everything, from monarchies and governments to French farmers and
salon owners. A new way of thinking and looking at the world was proposed; the shift revealed itself
in the works of new artistic masters who broke out onto the scene, shocking the critics and the
public (mostly bourgeois, old masters, and nobles) with their new styles that approached art in a way
that challenged all traditions. Such changes can be tracked from the mass of altered techniques and
change of focus, usually very manifest in most paintings, and ... Show more content on
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His then–unorthodox landscape paintings not only are touching to the eye and the heart, but also
provide much food for thought and deep contemplation. If you take a look at several of Friedrich's
works, you'll be able to discover that most of those landscapes include the back(s) of one or several
people, who, like us, are peering over the panorama. The structure allows us to (1) put ourselves into
that person's viewpoint, as if we were on that very site, feeling the winds brushing our faces and
carrying smell of the open air, and (2) wonder what worries or thoughts are occupying that person's

The Raft Of The Medusa Essay
Waves crashing against the broken raft that is from the pieces of a once great ship holding the
survivors that were left behind. In a great french romanticism painting the story of the crashed ship,
the Medusa is told. The painting of the Raft of the Medusa gives me the feeling of having the will to
fight through and overcome anything. Even though they were left behind to fend on their own they
did not let that defeat them. I relate to this painting in the way of overcoming any obstacle and even
being left behind I will still turn out okay. If I had a ticket to go anywhere I would go to France in
1818 to 1819 to watch Theodore Gericault paint the Raft of the Medusa. Since this is a magical
ticket I would stay for as long as I could even a whole year. Also, I would like to get there by train,
simply because I have never traveled by train before. When I get there to France and meet Theodore
Gericault I would do an interview. I cannot speak french so communication with him would be
difficult, but since this is fictional that really does not matter. I would ask him questions about why
he decided to paint this, what was his inspiration. Even ask about what is going on in his personal
life and see if the horrors of emotions in the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I have never been over to Europe so I would use this trip to my advantage and take in all the
surroundings around me. Sit in maybe a park and observe everyone there along with Theodore
Gericault and ask him all the questions I would ask questions ranging from the reason to paint the
Raft of the Medusa to what his favorite color was. Here I am talking to a famous artist, which I
strive to be one day I would be crazy not to ask him if I could be his apprentice, to learn from him.
There may be a few times when we may disagree and have an argument, but we will overcome it
like any other problem. I would show every ounce of respect I have to

On The Raft Of The Medusa

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