The Raft of the Medusa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Raft of the Medusa - Essay Example The members that had been left on board that had not drowned or died had tried to construct a life raft due to the shortage of lifeboats aboard the ship only to save ten total lives (Lavessiere, Michel, Chenique). The use of line shows all of the straight angles of the raft and shows the details of the pitifully built raft. All of the lines used show such detail to the people that are on board. The background is more neutral so it creates an emphasis on the rest of the painting that should be focused on. There are so many details to take in as there is no primary focal point other than the entire raft itself. A pattern of compositional lines draw attention to that focal point with the use of angles on the sail, the wooden planks that make up the floor of the painting and the arms and legs of the survivors. The coloring adds drama because of the lack of color. Every inch of the painting is dark and dreary or a golden neutral shade. The contrast of the colors and the lighting makes the painting appear more dark and dreary and draws attention to anguish of the sailors on