Caravaggio, Medusa, 1595-8 (Florence, Italy, Uffizi Gallery)  In 1598, Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte gave this artwork to the Grand Duke Ferdinando I. The Medusa is painted on canvas applied to a wooden shield. The subject is mythological, referring to Athena's shield which was cunningly used to exploit the Medusa's power to petrify people. The Medici often made use of this iconography to represent their military power. Rather than basing the painting on ancient sources, Caravaggio captures the expression on the Medusa's face, deformed as it is in horror at having been beheaded, while even the mane of serpents writhes in all directions. — based on Google Art Project
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