He used subjects who directly appealed to human emotions. Italian Baroque was very similar to Italian Renaissance, yet the color palette was darker, and richer, and themes of religion were more popular.Ĭaravaggio was known for his naturalistic, and realistic paintings, termed Baroque realism. Caravaggio was a pioneer in Italian Baroque style, which grew out of the Mannerist art movement. He was commissioned to paint Medusa as a gift for the Grand Duke of Tuscany, to be placed in the Medici collection in Florence. Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610)Ĭaravaggio, from Milan, Italy, was a part of the Baroque art movement. Medusa shows an intense level of realism, and Caravaggio uses dark and light contrasts so effectively that Medusa looks three-dimensional. Medusa is a wonderful example of Caravaggio’s focus on physiognomic, or facial expression in his paintings. Realizing that her head and body were no longer one, and that she was still conscious, Caravaggio depicts the horror in her eyes.
Medusa in Caravaggio’s painting is portrayed at the moment of self-recognition. Perseus, the Greek hero, was given a shield by the goddess Athena, so that he could avoid looking at her, as he decapitated or beheaded her. She was so repulsive, that whoever looked at her, supposedly turned to stone.
Medusa was a gorgon with a mane of serpents for hair. A gorgon is a terrifying female creature in Greek mythology. In order to appreciate Caravaggio’s painting of Medusa, it is important to know its background.
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