Heaven and Hell: Appendix 7 Summary and Analysis

Huxley discusses the art of Gericault who was a negative visionary. Gericault perceived the world around him and represented it in his art in a negative visionary state. Gericault supposedly perceived the world as a series of apocalypses. He painted all of his visions with any outlining or planning. Each work began with one idea or vision and that idea manifested itself on the canvas. Huxley finds this important to discuss because it once again shows the power of negative visions and where they can transport those who see them. The images of Gericault paintings that Huxley describes and what the artist experienced while painting them show that negative visionary experiences can be just as powerful as positive ones.