This entry details an engraving titled 'Perseus Showing the Head of Medusa to Atlas,' created between 1767 and 1771 by Louis-Claude Legrand and Charles-Joseph-Dominique Eisen. The artwork illustrates a scene from Ovid's Metamorphoses, depicting Perseus's encounter with Atlas in a French-style garden.
This artwork, 'Perseus Showing the Head of Medusa to Atlas,' is an engraving created by Louis-Claude Legrand (engraver) after a drawing by Charles-Joseph-Dominique Eisen. Dated between 1767 and 1771, it was prepared for the Parisian edition of Ovid's Metamorphoses. The illustration depicts a key moment from Book IV, Fable VII, where Perseus, having defeated Medusa, encounters the titan Atlas in his garden. Atlas, fearing Perseus might steal his golden fruit, guards his garden, leading Perseus to show him Medusa's head, which transforms Atlas into a mountain.
The scene is set in a meticulously planned French-style garden, characterized by a central fountain, a lawn, balustrades, and tree-lined avenues. The composition balances the symmetrical layout with the dramatic tension conveyed through the protagonists' gestures and expressions. The narrative draws from the detailed account in Ovid's epic poem, highlighting Perseus's heroic deeds and mythological encounters.