Three Studies with Sketches of a Wooded Landscape and a Cavalry Battle 1813 - 1814

This graphite sketch, titled "Three Studies with Sketches of a Wooded Landscape and a Cavalry Battle," was created by Théodore Géricault in the early 19th century. Géricault lived in a time of immense social and political transformation following the French Revolution. Notice the dynamic sketches that capture moments of intense conflict and struggle. Horses, often symbols of power and virility, are shown here as central to these scenes of turmoil. The cavalry battles may be read as metaphors for the social upheavals of the time. "I feel as though I have been born again," Géricault once said, reflecting his deep connection to the shifting world around him. The sketches give an emotional perspective on the post-revolutionary period. They invite us to consider the human cost of conflict, and to reflect on how historical events shape individual experience. Géricault offers a glimpse into the chaos of a society grappling with change.