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11. The Raft of the Medusa — Théodore Géricault (1818–1819)
The Raft of the Medusa isn't supernatural horror.
It's arguably worse.
It's real.
The painting depicts survivors of the 1816 sinking of the French naval frigate Méduse, who were stranded on a makeshift raft.
The survivors endured starvation, dehydration, exposure, and horrific conditions.
Géricault's enormous painting captures desperation and suffering on a monumental scale.
It is essentially a historical survival-horror movie frozen onto a canvas.
And unfortunately, there wasn't a rescue helicopter waiting at the end.
