Why did Benvenuto Cellini create Perseus with the Head of Medusa?

Why did Benvenuto Cellini create Perseus with the Head of Medusa?

Perseus was one of Cellini’s crowning works, completed with two different ideas in mind. He wanted to respond to the sculpture already placed within the piazza, which he did with the subject matter of Medusa reducing men to stone.

What was Benvenuto Cellini famous for?

Benvenuto Cellini (1500-1571 CE) was an Italian Renaissance sculptor, medallist, and goldsmith whose most famous works today include the bronze statue of Perseus holding the head of Medusa, which now stands in Florence, and a magnificent gold salt cellar made for Francis I of France (r. 1515-1547 CE), now in Vienna.

What kind of person was Cellini?

Cellini, Benvenuto (1500–71), Italian goldsmith and sculptor, the most renowned goldsmith of his day. His work is characterized by its elaborate virtuosity. His autobiography is famous for its racy style and its vivid picture of contemporary Italian life.

When was the statue of Perseus made?

1554
Perseus. The sculpture shows Perseus, holding the head of the Medusa which he has cut off and from whose blood the winged horse Pegasus will be born. This masterpiece in bronze was sculpted between 1545 and 1554 for the Loggia dei Lanzi (an open-air gallery) and has stood there ever since.

Who is holding Medusa’s head?

Perseus
Start on the last page with a drawing of Perseus holding out Medusa’s head in victory.

What is Perseus wearing on his head?

Perseus is standing in a triumphant pose as he has just beheaded Medusa. He holds the head of Medusa in his left hand by grabbing the venomous snakes on her head. Perseus is wearing the sandals of the Roman messenger god Mercury (Hermes in Greek) which allowed Perseus to fly.

Why did Cellini write his autobiography?

Cellini himself explains that he wrote his autobiography because any virtuous man ought to do so after a certain age: “All men of any condition who have done something of special worth …

Who was Benvenuto Cellini influenced by?

Escaping after three years confinement he was glad enough to avail himself of the influence of Francis I and Cardinal Ferrara in his behalf, and to accept their invita tion to come to France, where he established himself in 1540.

Who wrote the autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini?

Benvenuto Cellini
The Life of Benvenuto Cellini/Authors

Where was Cellini?

Florence, Italy
Benvenuto Cellini/Place of birth

Who created Perseus with the head of Medusa?

Perseus with the head of Medusa/Artists

Perseus with the Head of Medusa is the famous statue by Benvenuto Cellini, found in Florence in piazza della Signoria, under the Loggia dei Lanzi, and one of the most important examples of Italian Mannerist sculpture.

What is the subject of Cellini’s Perseus?

Cellini, one of the greatest goldsmiths of the Renaissance, was commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici to sculpt this work in 1545. The subject is Perseus, standing over the body of Medusa and holding the recently decapitated head of the monster in one hand and his sword in the other.

What type of sculpture is Perseus with the head of Medusa?

Perseus with the Head of Medusa is the famous statue by Benvenuto Cellini, found in Florence in piazza della Signoria, under the Loggia dei Lanzi, and one of the most important examples of Italian Mannerist sculpture. Cellini, one of the greatest goldsmiths…

Who is Benvenuto Cellini?

Benvenuto Cellini was born in Florence (Italy) of November 1, 1500 and died in his hometown in 1571. It was one of the most celebrated artists of the Renaissance Italian, famous both for the beauty of his works of art and the adventures that starred throughout his life.

How long did it take to build Cellini’s statue?

Benvenuto Cellini, a Florentine artist, began working on the work in August 1545 and its construction would keep him busy for about nine years. The statue was commissioned by Cosimo I, after his installation as Duke of the city. The work began with the preparation of two wax and bronze models.

Why did Benvenuto Cellini create Perseus with the head of Medusa?

Why did Benvenuto Cellini create Perseus with the head of Medusa?

Perseus was one of Cellini’s crowning works, completed with two different ideas in mind. He wanted to respond to the sculpture already placed within the piazza, which he did with the subject matter of Medusa reducing men to stone.

Who is holding the head of Medusa?

Perseus
Discover. Meet Perseus, a hero of Greek mythology who was famous for killing the monster Medusa by cutting off her head, which he proudly displays in one hand.

Who is Luciano Garbati?

The Artist Behind the Controversial Medusa and Perseus Sculpture: Luciano Garbati. Luciano Garbati was born in 1973 in Argentina. He joined the National School of Arts and qualified in 1996 as a Sculpture professor.

What became of the drops of blood that fell from Medusa’s head in the desert?

Finto: Iconclass: Perseus flies over the Libyan desert, carrying the head of Medusa; the blood drops that fall from it change into snakes.

What was the name of the object in which the severed head of Medusa was kept safe?

The two immortal sisters pursued Perseus with fury, but the hero escaped with his prize using Hermes’ winged boots and Hades’ helmet of invisibility. Not even death, however, could quell Medusa’s power, and Perseus had to keep her decapitated head in a special sack strong enough to contain it, called a kybisis.

What Perseus means?

Perseus is a major hero from Greek mythology best known for his clever decapitation of Medusa, the monster who turned all who looked at her face into stone. He also rescued Andromeda from the sea monster. Like most of the mythological heroes, the genealogy of Perseus makes him the son of a god and a mortal.

Is Hermes invisible?

Hermes has also been depicted with a purse or a bag in his hands, wearing a robe or cloak, which had the power to confer invisibility.

What is Medusa with the head of Perseus made of?

Creation and description. The sculpture depicts a nude Medusa holding the head of Perseus in her right hand and a sword in her left. The original Medusa was sculpted in clay, then cast in resin with fibreglass reinforcements. The sculpture stands just over 2 metres tall.

Who sculpted Perseus with the head of Medusa?

Benvenuto Cellini
Perseus with the head of Medusa/Artists

Perseus with the Head of Medusa is the famous statue by Benvenuto Cellini, found in Florence in piazza della Signoria, under the Loggia dei Lanzi, and one of the most important examples of Italian Mannerist sculpture.

What is the subject of Cellini’s Perseus?

Cellini, one of the greatest goldsmiths of the Renaissance, was commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici to sculpt this work in 1545. The subject is Perseus, standing over the body of Medusa and holding the recently decapitated head of the monster in one hand and his sword in the other.

How did Cellini respond to the previous sculpture in the Piazza?

Cellini’s use of bronze in Perseus and the head of Medusa, and the motifs he used to respond to the previous sculpture in the piazza, were highly innovative. Examining the sculpture from the back, one can see a self-portrait of the sculptor Cellini on the back of Perseus’ helmet.

What does Perseus with the head of medusa look like?

Perseus with the Head of Medusa. Perseus with the Head of Medusa is a bronze sculpture made by Benvenuto Cellini in the period 1545-1554. The sculpture stands upon a square base with bronze relief panels depicting the story of Perseus and Andromeda, similar to a predella on an altarpiece.

Where can I find Perseus in Florence?

Perseus with the Head of Medusa, under Loggia dei Lanzi, Florence. Perseus with the Head of Medusa is a bronze sculpture made by Benvenuto Cellini in the period 1545-1554.

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