An Artillery Officer Leading the Charge c. 19th century

Curator: Here we have Théodore Géricault's "An Artillery Officer Leading the Charge," a striking drawing residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: It’s dynamic; a whirlwind captured in graphite. The texture feels almost frantic. Curator: Géricault, who lived from 1791 to 1824, was deeply engaged with the Napoleonic era. This artwork reflects that, depicting a leader amidst conflict. Consider the socio-political context. How does this image reinforce or challenge ideas about militarism? Editor: I am captivated by the labor that went into rendering the officer's uniform, down to the details of the buttons and epaulettes. Géricault really used the materials here to capture the weight and texture of the cloth. Curator: Indeed. And thinking about its location now, in a place of learning like Harvard, invites reflection on the legacies of power and conflict. Editor: It leaves you pondering the cost of those legacies, both visible and hidden.