Perseus and Andromeda

Unknown Artist

ca. 1600

Perseus and Andromeda by Unknown Artist

Medium

Boxwood

Dimensions

Overall: 5 3/4 × 6 1/4 in. (14.6 × 15.9 cm)

Classification

Sculpture-Miniature

Culture

Southern German

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Rogers Fund, 1909

Accession Number

09.162

Tags

AndromedaPerseusPegasus

Art Historical Context

This exquisite miniature sculpture, *Perseus and Andromeda carved from boxwood around1600 by an unknown German artist, captures a dramatic moment from classical mythology. Perseus, the heroide Pegasus, rescues the chained princessromeda from a sea monster embodying themes of heroism and intervention popular in Renaissance-era art. At just 5 3/4 × 6 1/4 inches, its diminutive scale belies the astonishing level of detail, from the rippling muscles and flowing drapery to the dynamic interplay of figures against a rocky seascape. Boxwood, a dense and fine-grained hardwood, was the ideal medium fo...

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