Artwork

Assassination of Tiberius

Assassination of Tiberius, by Théodore Géricault, 1816
Assassination of Tiberius, by Théodore Géricault, 1816

Assassination of Tiberius is a drawing by the Romanticist artist Théodore Géricault. It dates from 1816 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Théodore Géricault's Assassination of Tiberius is a drawing created in 1816. It is a work by a French artist known for pioneering the Romantic movement.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts the violent death of the Roman emperor Tiberius, conveying a dramatic and intense scene. Figures in the background are shown fighting or fleeing, while a woman in the foreground observes the chaos.

Technique & Style

Strong contrasts between light and dark are used to heighten the sense of drama and tension in the scene, characteristic of Géricault's style and the Romantic movement.

Context

Géricault was also known for his influential work The Raft of the Medusa, another example of his dramatic and emotive style.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Théodore Géricault

Artist

Théodore Géricault

Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault (French: ; 26 September 1791 – 26 January 1824) was a French painter and lithographer.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Cleveland Museum of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.