Myths and Arts Perseus, Medusa and Andromeda

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Myths and ArtsPerseus, Medusa and Andromeda

• Vesa Matteo Piludu

Department of Comparative Religion University of
Helsinki
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Danae and Zeus

• Acrisius asked the oracle at Delphi, "when will I
  have a son?" The oracle didn't exactly answer
  that question, but instead responded, "don't let
  your daughter get married, for she will have a
  son, and that son will kill you."
• Acrisius consequently confined his daughter,
  Danae, inside a bronze underground chamber, but
  to no avail.
• Zeus had already been attracted to Danae, and
  slipped into the chamber (and Danae's lap) in the
  form of a golden shower.
• This Attic red-figure crater (c480 BCE) depicts
  the golden shower, and situates Danae in a rather
  nicely decorated Athenian bedroom, with elaborate
  bedding and a mirror hanging on the wall.

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Moralist interpretation by Titian

• Like this painting of Danae by Titian (1554),
  commissioned by Philip II of Spain.
• The art historians John Paoletti and Gary Radke
  conclude, "Given the old woman's avaricious
  collection of some of the gold in the form of
  actual coins, and Danae's receptivity to
  Jupiter's advances expressed by her parted legs
  and dreamy expression, the story's associations
  with prostitution are clear."

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Danae by Gustav Klimt, 1918
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Danae and Perseus

• A krater (mixing bowl), Attic, red-figure, found
  in Syracuse (on Sicily), 460-450 BCE, that shows
  Perseus and Danae together in the chest that
  Acrisius threw into the sea.

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Medusa

• Later when Perseus was grown, King Polydektes,
  command he bring back the head of Medousa.
• With the help of the gods, Perseus first obtained
  an invisible helm, magical sword, and winged
  sandals.
• He then stole the single eye of the Graiai, three
  ancient hags, who told him where to find the
  Gorgones.

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Perseus receiving his equipment

• A hydria (vase for water), made in Chalcidia and
  found in the Etruscan city of Cerveteri,
  black-figure, ca.520 BCE. It shows Perseus
  receiving his equipment (sack, helmet of
  invisibility, winged sandals) from the sea
  nymphs. Behind him stands Athena.

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Edward Burne-Jones - The Call of Perseus
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Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones Perseus and the Sea
Nymph
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Perseus persuing a Gorgon

• Attic red-figure vase, of Panathenaic type, found
  in Etruria (Vulci), ca490 BCE, it shows either
  Perseus persuing a Gorgon, or a Gorgon persuing
  Perseus. Note Perseus' hat, sandals, sack, and
  curved sickle.

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Artist Edward Burne-Jones Title The Death of
Medusa I
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'Perseus and the Gorgon' Myth Pack CD-ROM 
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Perseus with a sword to Medusa's throat

• An Attic black-figure vase (Vulci), ca550 BCE,
  showing Perseus with a sword to Medusa's throat.
  On the other side of Medusa stands Hermes.

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Perseus in the act of cutting off Medusa's head

• A limestone metope from a temple at Selinas (on
  Sicily), 530-510 BCE, it shows Perseus in the act
  of cutting off Medusa's head. Athena stands to
  Perseus' right, and Medusa holds Pegasus in her
  lap

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Perseus has cut off Medusa's head

• Attic red-figure vase, found at Capua in central
  Italy, ca460 BCE. Perseus has cut off Medusa's
  head and stuck it in his sack, and he gazes down
  at the stump of her neck as he prepares to fly
  away. Athena rushes in behind Medusa.

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MEDOUSA THE BIRTH OF PEGASOS

• The winged horse Pegasos bursts forth in birth,
  from the decapitated neck of the Gorgon Medousa.
  The hero Perseus wings away with her head tucked
  inside his kibisis sack

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Cellini's Perseus
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Medusa - Athena

• Fragment of a statue of Athena from the west
  pediment of the temple of Apollo at Eretria on
  the island of Euboea, ca510 BCE. It shows the
  final placement of Medusa's head on the
  breastplate (or shield) of Athena--who uses it to
  terrify her enemies in battle.

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Medusa by Caravaggio
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Arnold Böcklin
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Boris Vallejo
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Medusa vs... Spider man!
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Halloween medusa
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??? Medusa
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Electric Medusa 2006
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Perseus by Antonio Canova
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Perseus
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Perseus and Andromeda

• A Roman wall painting from Pompeii (Casa del
  Sacerdos Amandus, 3rd style) ca30 CE. Andromeda
  is chained to the rock, and Perseus 1) negotiates
  in the right background with Cepheus to marry
  Andromeda, and 2) swoops in at left with Medusa's
  head to fight the sea monster.

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• An Apulian loutrophoros (a large pot for carrying
  water), red-figure, ca350-340.
• In the upper register, you see Andromeda chained
  to the rock, with Phineus to the right and
  Cassiopeia and also (apparently) in the upper
  right corner.
• In the bottom register, Perseus fights the sea
  monster.

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1679 Pierre Mignard
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"Perseus and Andromeda" by JoachimWtewael, 1611,
Musée du Louvre, Paris
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Perseus and Andromeda, 1602, Guiseppe Cesari
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Titian Andromeda
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Perseus freed Andromeda Piero di Cosimo
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Perseus and Andromeda by Rubens 1620
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AndromedaGustave Doré
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Andromeda1929 Daniel Chester French (1850 - 1931)
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Artist Edward Burne-Jones Title The Doom
Fulfilled 1876
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Andromeda by Tamara de Lempicka
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Andromeda by Boris
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Digital "dark" Andromeda
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Male (!) Andromeda in Japanese manga and
cartoons (Saint Seiya)
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Artist Edward Burne-Jones Title St. George and
the Dragon 1868
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Beckmann, MaxPerseus1940-1941
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Perseus And Andromeda - A Role Inversion!
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End of the story

• Perseus slew the monster, and rescued the girl,
  bringing her back to Greece as his bride.
• On Seriphos, he turned King Polydektes to stone,
  then travelled to his grandfather's kingdom to
  claim the throne.
• The old man fled, and was later accidentally
  killed by Perseus at some Games with an awry
  discus throw.
• Perseus was the ancestor through his sons and
  daughter of the royal houses of Mykenai, Elis,
  Sparta, Messenia, and distant Persia. His most
  famous descendant of all was Herakles

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Clash of the Titans - Medusa

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vzBtAO4dYL98

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Clash of the Titans - Tribute

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vZ3uFrtwQpbYfeature
  related

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Perseus yacht
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Swedish theater company Theater Barbara
performs "Perseus" using dance, mime and
acrobatics.