Perseus with the Head of Medusa

Perseus holds Medusa’s severed head away from his body. The lifted arm opens the figure outward, while the hero’s balanced stance keeps the moment under control. Antonio Canova carved this version in marble between 1804 and 1806. Canova was working with a celebrated ancient model in mind. The pose freely recalls the Apollo Belvedere, a statue admired for its ideal body and measured movement. By adapting that familiar form to Perseus, the Italian sculptor invited viewers to compare his work with the ancient art that collectors prized. This version was commissioned by Countess Valeria Tarnowska, who negotiated with Canova in 1804. A myth known from antiquity became an ambitious new possession for a European patron. The smooth body, extended limbs and carefully held head gave her a work designed to reward looking from more than one angle. The subject includes a violent act, even though the carving presents the hero calmly. Let your eye follow the lifted arm and return along the body toward the supporting legs.