Sketchbook

Théodore Géricault

1812–1814

Pencil, on paper

J. Paul Getty Museum

A green sketchbook cover with a small label in the upper right corner. A green sketchbook cover with a small label in the upper right corner. Théodore Géricault carried this little book around in his pocket for more than two years, from 1812 to 1814. He used it to make rapid sketches from life and to copy motifs from Old Master paintings and ancient sculpture, as well as to note ideas for future projects. The sketchbook clearly illustrates his broad range of interests, though it focuses on subjects such as horses and lions, which interested Géricault throughout his career. After Géricault's early death at the age of thirty-two in 1824, the contents of his studio, including thirty-three sketchbooks, wer