Perseus with the Head of Medusa, The sculpture depicts Perseus, the son of Zeus and Denae holding with the head of Medusa the Gorgon and standing on her broken body. Following traditional iconography, Perseus is wearing the winged helmet and sandals of Mercury which he was given for the task of hunting Medusa. However, the base of sculpture depicts scenes of Perseus and Andromeda. The statue was commissioned by the second Florentine duke, Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici. Allegorically, this sculpture is often read as Perseus representing the Medici's swooping in to save Florence or Andromeda.
- Contini-Volterra Photographic Archive | Sculpture (SCUL) | Perseus with the Head of Medusa, The sculpture depicts Perseus, the son of Zeus and Denae holding with the head of Medusa the Gorgon and standing on her broken body. Following traditional iconography, Perseus is wearing the winged helmet and sandals of Mercury which he was given for the task of hunting Medusa. However, the base of sculpture depicts scenes of Perseus and Andromeda. The statue was commissioned by the second Florentine duke, Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici. Allegorically, this sculpture is often read as Perseus representing the Medici's swooping in to save Florence or Andromeda., 1554
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This site contains collection guides, or finding aids, to the archival collections held by Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives, the History of Medicine Collection, and the Scarritt Bennett Center. Finding aids describe the context, arrangement, and structure of archival materials, allowing users to identify and request materials relevant to their research.
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