Four Studies of a Severed Head c. 1818

Curator: Géricault’s “Four Studies of a Severed Head,” housed at the Harvard Art Museums, is quite striking, isn't it? I'm immediately drawn to the emotional intensity. Editor: Intense is certainly one word. The angles and open mouths—they evoke agony and perhaps a strange sort of… release? Considering Géricault’s penchant for dramatic, even morbid themes, what do these images tell us about the social climate of the time? Curator: Géricault's explorations often reflected the tumultuous political and social upheavals. Decapitation, a common spectacle during the French Revolution, carried significant cultural weight. He pushes that imagery into very raw emotional territory. Editor: The visual language of suffering certainly resonated then, perhaps even more powerfully given the recent history. It begs the question: are we desensitized to these symbols now, or do they still retain some of their primal horror? Curator: I think they still hold power. The rawness transcends time. Editor: Indeed. A chilling and compelling reminder of mortality.