Bust of Medusa at The Musei Capitolini, Rome

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Medusa is a marble sculpture of the eponymous character from Ovid's classical myth. Executed by Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini, its exact creation date remains unknown but is likely to have occurred in the 1640s. Documented for the first time in 1731 when presented to Rome's Palazzo dei Conservatori, it now belongs to the Capitoline Museums' collections. The portrait draws on Medusa's myth, a snake-haired woman whose gaze could turn those who looked at her into stone. Unlike other depictions of Medusa, such as Benevenuto Cellini's Perseus and Medusa or Antonio Canova's work of the same name, Bernini's sculpture does not portray Medusa as a defeated figure with her head severed from her body but rather as a living monster. Bernini's decision to create a marble sculpture may be a visual pun on the myth - creating a stone version of a living creature that could turn men into stone - or even depicts a moment where Medusa perceives herself in an imaginary mirror and realizes she is being transformed. Her anguish at metamorphosis is obvious as her beautiful hair turns into writhing serpents. Nothing is known about its creation, and certain aspects of the sculpture's execution challenge Bernini's authorship, particularly the heavy, exaggerated eyebrows and rough treatment of the snakes. Yet, the sensual fleshy quality of the cheeks and lips, the polished precision of the face, the tormented expression of the Medusa, and lively intelligence behind the literary concept all point to Bernini's work. This object is part of "Scan The World," a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory. Through this project, we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the world for public access at no cost. Scan The World is an open-source community effort, if you have interesting items nearby and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help. Scanned using Photogrammetry (Processed with Agisoft PhotoScan)