Théodore Géricault from Private Collections

He paints ten Portraits of Insane Patients for Dr. Georget, a physician acquaintance.

1823

Géricault focuses his attention on watercolors and lithographs, including illustrations of Byron’s works. In April and June, he revisits his English series, and with the help of Léon Joseph Volmar, he reworks some of his lithographs. In early 1823 , he suffers a serious recurrence of his illness – a tubercular infection of the spine. After several operations, his condition is still not improved. Aware of his bleak future, Géricault plans several vast compositions in a last effort. These include The Liberation of Prisoners of the Spanish Inquisition and The African Slave Trade . In November, his good friend Bro de Comères sells some of his recent works for 13 , 600 francs. The following month, he completes his will, naming his father as heir; his father, in turn, passes the property to Géricault’s illegitimate son, Georges-Hippolyte, aged five.

1824

Géricault dies on January 26 .

On November 2 - 3 , Géricault’s studio contents are sold at public auction, bringing 52 , 000 francs. His close friend Dedreux-Dorcy buys The Raft of the Medusa and sells it to the Louvre on the November 12 , 1824 .

Bojana Popovic Jasmine Chohan