Theodore Gericault

Now recognised as one of the greatest artists of his generation, Gericault (1791-1824), the first of the French Romantics, died tragically young. Side-tracked by the magnificent preliminary studies he made, he failed to complete many epic projects and his contemporaries thought he would soon be forgotten. This film centres on his biographer Charles Clement's posthumous investigation of his life. It shows the richness of Gericault's work, set against the background of his day.