Middle years: After a stint fighting for Napoleon as a French Musketeer, Gericault became involved in politics which led to the creation of what is considered his Romantic masterpiece, The Raft of the Medusa, in 1818.This painting depicts a tragic event in French History - the shipwreck of the French vessel "Medusa" in 1816 and with this piece the artist polarized the critics and established himself as a young face to watch. On the strength of this painting and his other lithographs, Gericault toured around England from 1820-1822, gaining widespread fame and fortune.