Perseus Cautiously Relating to Andromeda the Transforming Power of Medusa's Head
1789
In this dramatic 1789 scene, the hero Perseus kneels before a startled Andromeda, clutching a sack containing the severed head of Medusa. He seems to be carefully explaining the monster's deadly power to turn onlookers to stone, keeping the gruesome trophy safely tucked away while she raises her hand in shock. The fine lines and shading reveal this as a masterful engraving, a collaboration between the painter Giovanni Battista Cipriani and the famous engraver Francesco Bartolozzi, whose name appears at the bottom as 'Historical Engraver to His Majesty.' It’s a perfect example of Neoclassical drama, freezing a moment of mythological tension where a single glance could mean petrification.
- Technique
- Engraving
Views: 1