Medusa Original Statue Figurine with Gold Leaf
Product Description
H: 11 1/2" Cold Cast Marble-like Resin highlighted with gold leaf, by Derek W Frost
In Greek mythology, Medusa was a gorgon, a female monster; gazing upon her would turn onlookers to stone. While ancient Greek vase-painters and relief carvers imagined Medusa and her sisters as beings born of monstrous form, sculptors and vase-painters of the fifth century began to envisage her as a being both beautiful as well as terrifying. In an ode written in 490 BC Pindar already speaks of "fair-cheeked Medusa".
In a late version of the Medusa myth, related by the Roman poet Ovid, Medusa was originally a beautiful maiden, "the jealous aspiration of many suitors," priestess in Athena's temple, but when she was raped by the "Lord of the Sea" Poseidon in Athena's temple, the enraged goddess transformed her beautiful hair to serpents and she made her face so terrible to behold that the mere sight of it would turn a man to stone.
In the majority of the versions of the story, while Medusa was pregnant by Poseidon, she was beheaded by Perseus. Perseus slew Medusa by looking at her reflection in the mirror instead of directly at her to prevent being turned into stone. When Perseus severed Medusa's head from her neck, two offspring sprang forth: the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor.
The corals of the Red Sea were said to have been formed of Medusa's blood spilled onto seaweed when Perseus laid down the petrifying head. Furthermore the poisonous vipers of the Sahara were said to have grown from spilt drops of her blood.
Medusa has been adopted by some modern feminists as a symbol of female rage.
The quality of the casting of this figurine is excellent, with good detail, and the cold cast resin has a natural sheen and weight while the gold leaf adds dramatic contemporary highlights.
(some information adapted from Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia)
In Greek mythology, Medusa was a gorgon, a female monster; gazing upon her would turn onlookers to stone. While ancient Greek vase-painters and relief carvers imagined Medusa and her sisters as beings born of monstrous form, sculptors and vase-painters of the fifth century began to envisage her as a being both beautiful as well as terrifying. In an ode written in 490 BC Pindar already speaks of "fair-cheeked Medusa".
In a late version of the Medusa myth, related by the Roman poet Ovid, Medusa was originally a beautiful maiden, "the jealous aspiration of many suitors," priestess in Athena's temple, but when she was raped by the "Lord of the Sea" Poseidon in Athena's temple, the enraged goddess transformed her beautiful hair to serpents and she made her face so terrible to behold that the mere sight of it would turn a man to stone.
In the majority of the versions of the story, while Medusa was pregnant by Poseidon, she was beheaded by Perseus. Perseus slew Medusa by looking at her reflection in the mirror instead of directly at her to prevent being turned into stone. When Perseus severed Medusa's head from her neck, two offspring sprang forth: the winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor.
The corals of the Red Sea were said to have been formed of Medusa's blood spilled onto seaweed when Perseus laid down the petrifying head. Furthermore the poisonous vipers of the Sahara were said to have grown from spilt drops of her blood.
Medusa has been adopted by some modern feminists as a symbol of female rage.
The quality of the casting of this figurine is excellent, with good detail, and the cold cast resin has a natural sheen and weight while the gold leaf adds dramatic contemporary highlights.
(some information adapted from Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia)