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On Display

Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones (1833-1898)

The Death of Medusa I

In contrast to the previous cartoon this is largely finished and is one of the most striking compositions in the series. Medusa was carrying the children of the god Poseidon and when Perseus strikes off her head they are released: the winged horse Pegasus and her human son Chrysaor. Perseus is wearing an invented style of armour typical of Burne-Jones's work. The carefully modelled anatomy of the horse and the draped figure of Medusa are inspired by Greek sculpture.

Mediummixed media on paper
Date1882
Dimensions1245mm x 1169mm
Acquisition NumberSOTAG : 109
Credit LinePurchased in 1934 through the Chipperfield Bequest Fund

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