Head of Medusa, Antonio Canova, 1796, Art Institute of Chicago: European Painting and Sculpture
The great Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova dominated the artistic scene in Rome at the turn of the 19th century. This bust represents a partial study for his marble statue Perseus Holding the Head of Medusa (1797–1801). The face of Medusa, a monster from Greek mythology, had the power to petrify anyone who beheld it. Canova expressed the horror of Medusa’s appearance and her death throes in this decapitated head. The sculptor initially modeled the work in clay, subsequently making a plaster mold of it. This preserved the freshness and spontaneity of the model while conveying a surface similar to the finished marble. Lacy Armour Endowment
Size: H. 31 cm (12 .20 in.) (without socle); H. 52.25 cm (20.57 in.) (with socle)
Medium: Plaster
https://www.artic.edu/artworks/160236/