Medusa by Peter Paul Rubens

Watch out for snakes! Between a (very) still life and a history painting, this

teeming and gory Head of Medusa is the work of Peter Paul Rubens

(1577 – 1640), a virtuoso in the rendering of pulpits (fresh or necrotic).

This mythological figure with reptilian hair, who petrified anyone who

dared to hold his gaze, ended up decapitated under the sword of

Perseus. Dead, the Gorgon with the greenish complexion and bulging

gaze is no less terrifying; It is also surrounded by a horde of repulsive

beasts, such as scorpions, spiders and lizards. The slight chiaroscuro –

typical of the Baroque movement – reinforces the tragic and theatrical

side of this strikingly realistic work.

medusa By Rubens -

The story of Medusa originates from Greek Mythology where Medusa is a

Gorgon monster, which is portrayed in Rubens' rendition. Medusa was

raped in a sacred shrine dedicated to Minerva by Neptune. Minerva

turned Medusa's hair into snakes as revenge for the violation of her shrine, which is portrayed in Rubens' portrayal of her. Medusa was thought to be a apotropaic symbol that would protect from and banish

evil. She has been compared to the modern evil eye. Iconographers at

the time such as Cesare Ripa and Lodovico Dolce as well as Rubens

portrayed her as such. She was thought to be a symbol of evil to ward off

evil. Medusa is attributed to both evil and as a symbol of power, as

portrayed in Rubens' interpretation

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