![]() In all likelihood, the subject of Medusa was deeply loved by the Grand Duke, because in the early 16 th century the presence of a Medusa painted by Leonardo was detected in his collection. ![]() They have a political relationship, in fact Cardinal del Monte was the Grand Duke’s ambassador in Rome and the painting enriched the Grand Duke’s collection of weapons. ![]() Obviously, the shield on which Medusa by Caravaggio is painted isn’t a real shield, because Caravaggio was commissioned the painting by Cardinal del Monte (Caravaggio’s sponsor and generous patron) to give it as a gift to Ferdinando I de’ Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, in 1598. So, Caravaggio painted this masterpiece on a shield and the image we see is Medusa while meeting her own gaze, leaving Perseus the chance to strike the fatal blow. Perseus was cunning and used a shield as a mirror so that Medusa was paralyzed by her own reflection. Medusa by Caravaggio is a monster from Greek mythology, one of the three Gorgon sisters, whom was beheaded by the hero Perseus before her gaze turned him to stone. READ ALSO – Caravaggio: the paintings by Michelangelo Merisi MEDUSA BY CARAVAGGIO: MEANING To be honest, I wouldn’t like to have Medusa by Caravaggioin my hypothetical collection of works of art, maybe hanging on a wall in my living room. Here is where you can admire it and which its meaning is. Medusa by Caravaggio is characterized by a shocked gaze, a terrified scream, a snarl of living snakes in place of hair, a river of blood streaming out of a decapitated head. I do believe that if he had lived nowadays, Caravaggio would have become a film director like Quentin Tarantino, and those who saw “Pulp Fiction” and similar movies, know what I’m talking about. MEDUSA BY CARAVAGGIO: WHERE IT IS HOUSED AND ITS MEANING
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