| Perseus and the Gorgon | |
|---|---|
| French: Persée et la Gorgone | |
 White marble (1903, Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek) | |
| Artist | Laurent Marqueste |
| Year | 1875–1903 |
| Medium | Sculpture |
| Subject | Perseus |
| Location | Musée des Augustins Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon |
Perseus and the Gorgon is a sculptural group by the French artist Laurent Marqueste composed of five statues made between 1875 and 1903. The works depict Perseus subduing and beheading Medusa.
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Marqueste freezes the contest at its climax, with the figures in motion. Perseus hoists Medusa by the hair; the Gorgon screams in fear; and the hero raises his sword to cut her throat. [1]
Perseus fights naked except for winged sandals from Hermes and a winged helmet from Hades. Following Greek tradition, he represents the physically perfect male hero. Muscular tension in his figure enhances the impression of movement, [2] a tenet of Baroque sculpture.
Artistic treatment of the nude varies slightly within the series. The 1887 work renders Perseus with exposed genitals, while in 1890 the artist conceals them with a drapery.
The first plaster model was made in 1875. A bronze statue was made from it in 1877, but the operation damaged the original plaster one. Marqueste had to make another plaster statue in 1887. He then made a first marble in 1890 and second one in 1903.
