Géricault au musée Condé de Chantilly

Abstract

Within the framework of the "Napoléon hors les murs" programme, the new Cabinet d'arts graphiques at the Musée Condé is exhibiting around forty of Géricault's lithographs, as well as three original drawings, all from the extraordinary collections bequeathed by Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale (1822-1897), to the Institut de France ... Géricault wasn't entirely the champion of imperialism he was believed to have been: his works show a highly critical viewpoint with regard to the Napoleonic Wars. He went to great pains to depict the unhappiness, misery and suffering of the troops in Chariot chargé de soldats blessés (Cart Filled with Wounded Soldiers) 1818, Retour de Russie (Return from Russia) 1818, Caisson d'artillerie (The Artillery Caisson) 1818, and Le Cheval mort (The Dead Horse) 1823. He strove to depict the reality of the troops' suffering: the mutilation, violence, artillery fire. Inspired by an anecdote related in the newspaper Le Constitutionnel, Géricault undertook a fierce political critique of the Restoration regime in Le Factionnaire suisse (Swiss Sentry at the Louvre) 1819 : a maimed former soldier of the Empire is seen propping himself up with his walking stick. He is stopped at the ticket booth to the Louvre and is so furious that he opens his redingote to show the Legion of Honour that he earned in battle, and orders the sentry to 'present arms'. This is one of Géricault's most famous lithographs.

Contents

Géricault -- Le duc d'Aumale et Géricault -- Catalogue ; Les débuts - L'Italie ; L'épopée naloléonienne ; Suite anglaise (Londres, 1821) ; Dessins et lithographies à la plume (Londres, 1820).