Perseus with the Head of Medusa, in the Vatican (shown left), and in the Metropolitan (shown right)
This artwork is Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Antonio Canova. Displayed in the Octagonal Court of the Museo Pio Clementino, and Room 548 of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, each version was made between 1800-1801 and 1804-1806 respectively. They were commissioned by tribune Onorato Duveyriez and the Polish countess Valeria Tarnowska.
The Greek demigod Perseus holds the head of Medusa in the marble statue. His triumphant pose is pictured right after beheading Medusa. Medusa was the youngest among the three Gorgons. She was exceptionally attractive and was seduced by Poseidon in the temple of Athens. Outraged, the virgin goddess Athena put a curse on Medusa. Athena vanished Medusa's beauty and transformed her beautiful hair into snakes. Any mortal who gazed into Medusa's eyes would turn into a stone. Adventurers who strayed across her path met a terrible fate. Perseus was sent to kill her, armed with the sandals of the Roman messenger-God Mercury, which allowed him to fly, the cap of Hades that made him invisible, and a harpe sword owned by Zeus. He also had a reflective shield from Athena, which was key to his success in slaying Medusa.
According to the myths, Perseus should have turned into stone as he met Medusa's eye. In the original myths, Perseus evaded this fate, yet maybe the statue portrays Perseus as another ignorant man falling victim to his own folly. His left foot stands in the front, while the heel of his right foot is lifted. As such, Canova creates the sense that Perseus is moving forward.
This statue was heavily influenced by the Apollo Belvedere, a famous statue from antiquity, shown below.
Apollo Belvedere
This is a renaissance style drawing of Roman heroes, contrasting ugly Medusa and heroic Perseus.
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