Bearded Gorgon Kneeling at The Louvre, Paris

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This towering Gorgon stands proudly on its knees. The magnificent figure was part of an elaborate decoration for a bronze trivet, of a type that originated in the Near East and was replicated in Greece, designed to support a freely moving cauldron. The figure was likely crafted in eastern Greece during the first half of the 6th century BC. It marks a significant precursor to the Laconian style of Gorgon figures, showcasing the profound influence exerted by Ionian artists on their counterparts in Laconia. This remarkable bronze figurine entered the Louvre in 1883. It was reportedly discovered in the sea near the island of Rhodes, which partially accounts for its weathered appearance. The lower portion features a kneeling Gorgon with its hands resting on its thighs. Its broad, plump face is framed by thick, beaded locks of hair and a short beard, accentuating the traditionally fearsome countenance of this monster. The Gorgon extends its tongue, revealing two small fangs in the corners of its mouth. Its large, wide-open eyes were originally adorned with white material, such as ivory or bone, that is partially preserved on the iris of the right eye. Surrounding its head, the monster wears a headband on which a lion's paw rests. Two sturdy rods (and probably a third, of which only broken fragments remain) were attached to the top of this paw using a casting technique where pre-forged rods were inserted into the wax model to secure the object to its support. This fixing system is completed on the back of the paw by a slightly curved ribbon extending the two rods into a Y shape. On one of the rods, a right-angled fragment corresponds to the tip of a prop extending behind the Gorgon's head above the headband. This intricate arrangement indicates that the kneeling figure decorated a type of Near Eastern trivet, imitating wickerwork, that had been imported to and replicated in Greece. The size of this trivet would have been extraordinary, as is the motif of the lion's paw resting on the kneeling Gorgon's head. These trivets were generally used to support freely moving cauldrons, which were adorned with various sculpted motifs, particularly griffin protomai. The origins of this work have sparked intense debate, but it is now widely agreed that it was created in Asia Minor during the first half of the 6th century BC. Its attribution to a workshop in eastern Greece is based on similarities in the facial features to those of the Laconian-type gorgoneion, whose direct antecedents date back to the late 7th century BC in Rhodes (modeled vases) and Samos (ivory figurines). The Louvre statuette illustrates the profound influence exercised by Ionian artists on the workshops of Laconia. The Laconian type, deriving from Asia Minor, reflects the primitive nature of the Gorgon figure. Huge bulging eyes, a flat nose, and small horns are characteristic facial features of these monsters intended to terrify the observer. This style differs significantly from one that spread throughout Corinth in the second half of the 6th century BC, which featured a less frightening hexagonal face with small eyes and a large mouth.