Sunday, April 6, 2008

Medusa



Medusa is a fascinating figure. In Greek mythology, she was a beautiful woman who was ravished by Poseidon, which enraged Athena. The goddess transformed her into a monstrous woman and replaced her fine locks with snakes. It was said that she was beheaded by Perseus, who then used her head as a weapon, for anyone who gazed upon her would turn to stone.

Medusa, by Caravaggio

Typically depicted as a horrific vistage crowned with snakes, recently some have re-interpreted Medusa as a strong, fierce woman. I was commissioned to paint a portait of her to be used as a logo for the Memoir Journal.

That's her up in the left-hand corner. In this version, she seems quite serene despite all those snakes where her hair should be.



1 comment:

Sophie Littlefield said...

It's not big enough! Can you post a bigger picture - i'd love to see this one :)