Five Sketches for a Cavalry Battle 1813 - 1814

Théodore Géricault made these five studies of a cavalry battle on paper, using pen and brown ink, and brown wash. The swift, energetic strokes of the pen, combined with the fluid washes of ink, suggest a mind in motion, rapidly capturing fleeting impressions. We can think of the artist's hand as a kind of instrument, directly translating his thoughts and observations onto the page. In the upper two studies, Géricault has used a darker, more opaque brown wash to create dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, heightening the sense of chaos and violence. Notice how the ink bleeds and spreads across the paper, creating soft, blurred edges that evoke the smoke and dust of battle. The lower sketches are more tentative, as if Géricault is still searching for the right composition and pose. These lines, though fainter, reveal his process, inviting us to witness his artistic choices as they unfold. The very act of drawing, of making marks on paper, is a physical process that connects the artist to his subject. By focusing on the materiality of this work, we gain a deeper appreciation for the labor and skill that went into its creation.