Charioteer and Horseman
1791–1824
Medium
Graphite on light gray paper
Dimensions
8 x 11 1/2 in. (20.3 x 29.2 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1909
Accession Number
10.45.18
Tags
Art Historical Context
Théodore Géricault *Charioteer and Horseman* (ca. 1817–1824) captures the raw energy of classical antiquity reimagined through a Romantic lens. Created during the artist's short but brilliant career (1791–1824), this graphite drawing on light gray paper showcases Géricault's obsession with horses and human figures in motion—hallmarks of his style. A leading figure in French Romanticism, Géric drew inspiration from ancient Greek sculpture and equestrian scenes, blending dramatic tension with anatomical precision, as seen in his masterpieces like *The Raft of the Medusa*. Rendered on a modest 8...
About the Artist
Théodore Gericault · 1791–1824
Théodore Géricault, born Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault on September 26, 1791, in Rouen, France, into a prosperous family—his father a lawyer turned tobacco merchant and his mother from a line of growers—moved to Paris around 1797. Displaying early artistic promise, recognized by painter Jean-Louis Laneuville, he began formal training in 1808 under Carle Vernet, mastering English sporting art...