Take me under

review by Drew Webster

3/10/16

“The Mutiny on the Raft of the Medusa” is a sketch on a brown piece of paper made from chalk and watercolor, and can be found in the drawing section of the Harvard Art Museum. When one looks at the piece, one thing instantly jumps out: the only color can be found in the ocean. The sky and people are drawn in black and white chalk, but for some reason the ocean holds most of the color in this piece. Along with this, everyone in the image appears to be struggling to stay above water on their tiny raft, which can barely hold them all up. By putting such a bright contrast between the sea and the rest of the piece, the sea comes off as this sort of overwhelming power constantly trying to push these men under, with the effects of this force beginning to impact the crew. The terrified faces of the crew also add to the idea of desperation, with everyone appearing as if all hope is lost. Crew members are falling into the ocean and bodies are cluttered all over the small and seemingly frail ship as everyone tries to brave the harsh storm.