Perseus and Medusa

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In Greek mythology, Persues was the son of the god Zeus and a human Danaë and was the slayer of the Gorgon Medusa. In the story, Perseus’ grandfather had him thrown into the sea in a chest with his mother because of a prophecy that he would be killed by the boy. Perseus and his mother survived. As a young man Perseus set out on an adventure to kill the Medusa. The Medusa was a Gorgan, a terrifying female creature who had hair of living, venomous snakes, and a horrifying gaze that turned those who looked into it to stone. After slaying the women-beast, he took his mother back to her native Argos, he threw a discus that accidentally killed his grandfather, thus fulfilling the prophecy. [1] Around 1554 C.E, Cosimo I de' Medici (June 12, 1519 – April 21, 1574), the Grand Duke of Tuscany employed Benvenuto Cellini to create a statue that was imaginative, impressive, and would remind people of himself.[2] Whether the statue actually is a rendering depicting Cosimo is unknown and unlikely but what is known is that it depicts the result of the fight betweentwo people, Perseus the victor, presenting the head to the gods, and Medusa, her headless body under his feet and her head in his hand. Perseus, with his winged sandals and hat given to him by the god Hermes stands about eighteen feet tall and is made of cast bronze. Like a lot of art from this period in history, it is primarily crafted after Greek and early Roman technique. This means that the outcome of the work is primarily fake and unrealistic. It will not look anything like the model or intended depiction. Most of the art of this type showed the deluded perfection of humanity, or making humans look as if they were gods. The perfect form and stance of Perseus, a human, shows this delusion. Well his case, he does deserve having himself the center of attention and to be given the most divine representation that can be

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