Capilano University Art History 101 Spring 2020: Nude Warrior Report

This report analyzes Théodore Gericault's painting, 'Nude Warrior with a Spear,' created in 1816 during the Romantic Movement. The report explores the painting's stylistic elements, including its use of oil on fabric, the artist's techniques, and the depiction of a male nude figure. It examines the painting's allegorical subject and narrative, its academic style, and its significance as a turning point in Gericault's career. The report also discusses the painting's historical context, including its reception and critical interpretations, and the artist's mastery of human figure representation. The report references the painting's physical characteristics, alterations over time, and the impact of the work within the art historical period.

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Art History
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Author Note

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Nude Warrior with a Spear is a painting by Théodore Gericault. He was a French Painter
who was one of the pioneers during the period of Romantic Movement. He schooled by Pierre
Narcisse Guerin at the Parisian Studio, who followed the style of the neoclassical artist, Jacques
Louis Davis, one of the most preeminent painter of the time. Gericault acquired his skills and
perfected himself by learning to draw casts and statues at the Louvre. He later on, started
painting live models, from a preliminary scale to works of full scale. Nude Warrior, is among
one of those seminal works, which presents a male nude in it.
The support of the painting is in plain weave, in a fabric of medium to heavy weight. The
picture is lined to the fabric, in the fabric as the margins have been omitted. It is a bold
representation, which was heavily lauded by the contemporaries of the time. It is often regarded
to be setting inspiration for the artists and the periods to follow. It is an academic life study,
which has been ideally stylized by the painter, as a representation of human body. Gericault
could achieve the perfection of the representation through his practices at the studio. The work is
characterized for the finesse and a piece of finished easel painting.
The painting is often regarded to have allegorical subject and narrative, through the
representation. It can be rendered through the background and suggestive accessories. The
setting and the subject makes the painting, piece of art which is complete and saleable. The
painting marks a turning point in the artist’s career, owing to its notable arrangement, and then
the perfect execution of the same, which can be witnessed by viewing it. The original size of the
painting is 94cm x 76 cm/ 37 inches x 30 inches, with the medium as oil on fabric. The artwork
was created in 1816. Gericault has been one of the most spectacular artists to have mastered the
model session, which, has given rise to a legacy (Nga.gov, 2020). He set examples for his

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students to follow the prodigies of impasto and color, which, is the reason behind him, gaining
names such as cuisinier de Rubens.
The picture is titled as the Nude Warrior with a Spear, which is bereft if historical
authority but is a descriptive appeal purely, to his creation. Charles Blanc, referred to it as a large
academic figure study. The earliest mention of the work, is found in the work of Georges Sortais,
who describes it as a ‘seated male nude leaning on a lance before a mountainous landscape.’ The
painting was painted for its own sake, in a pure academic sense (Nga.gov, 2020). Gericault has
given his subject a sense of time and place, through the geographic setting. The figure represents
heroic intimation, yet, which is represented in solitude.
The left arm, the spear the model is holding and the right leg is divided into three
diagonals which are parallel to each other. There are interlocked triangles in which the body is
divided and makes. The series of interlocked triangles in which the body is divided into can be
witnessed through the left thigh and the bent of the right arm. There has been several changes
which were made to the painting, along with time. It also includes the repair which it undergone.
Some of the changes and repairing, which the painting has undergone include darkening of the
hair of the model with shades of color which are darker, comparatively. The male figure’s hair
has also been amended to be thicker through further attempts. The forelocks of the hair has also
been made longer. These transformations are result of the study Gericault made of human figures
through the composition. The extension of the right foot can be found to be completed later on, It
can be understood by having a closer look at the foot, which can be found to have achieved
completion hastily with the help of flat brown color (Nga.gov, 2020). The amendment to make it
complete, was done by a later hand. There can also be found repairs in the clouds at the right,

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which are posited at the level of the raised right hand of the figure. There has been heavy usage
of varnish, which is uneven over the painting.
The painting is powerful and signifies the intimation of the solitary and heroic figure
through the averted direction of the face. The audience cannot view the head or face, but can
only comprehend his might, as he looks forward to what looks like the barren mountainous
figure lying ahead, for him to conquer. The painting can be viewed to understand that it is too
perfect to be an artwork of a beginner, but a master. The body of the male nude warrior is
prominent across the visible contours of shadows made in brown. The original fabric is covered
with a white ground, which is applied by the artist, over the original fabric. There also is a
texture covering the fabric vertically. The upper portion and limbs of the artist are more
prominent as compared to the legs and the bottom portion of the painting. The setting of the
landscape and the figure has been painted with opaque and translucent paint, which is followed
by pastone paint, which highlights the outer contour. The figure, against the empty setting
creates a metaphor for France’s defeat. The energies possessed by France were channelized into
the world through vast energies, after the Napoleonic Wars.
It can thus be concluded by asserting, that the painting is very prominent from the
Romantic era, which is lauded and drawn inspiration from. The figure is powerful, reflecting
vigor and strength of the warrior, solitary yet heroic.

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References
Nga.gov. (2020). Retrieved 23 March 2020, from
https://www.nga.gov/content/dam/ngaweb/research/publications/pdfs/french-paintings-
nineteenth-century.pdf

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Appendix
Nude Warrior with a Spear