16 May

Wonder Woman Meets Perseus At The Met

by Jon Katz

Wonder Woman met Perseus and the Head of Medusa today at the New York Metropolitan Museum in New York City.

Wonder woman was Robin, my granddaughter, and Perseus was Benvenuto Cellini’s famous sculpture of the Greek God Perseus cutting off the head of Medusa, who could turn anyone who looked at her to stone.

Perseus tricked her by looking at her reflection in his shield and then cutting off her head.

The statue was sculpted between 1545 and 1554 by Cellini, one of the great sculptors and goldsmiths of his time.

Then and now, there was politics in art. The political meaning was that the beheaded Medusa represents the Republican experiment, which Emperor Cosimo did away with, while the snakes coming out of the Gorgon’s body symbolize the disagreements in the city which threatened democracy.

Sounds familiar.

I asked Emma if Robin was surprised by the nudity in the statute and Emma said not at all. Robin said “look, he decapitated her! But why did he do it naked?”

I don’t know what Emma answered in response, but Emma said she was impressed and proud that Robin knows the word “incapacitate” and used it correctly before the age of five.

It’s a Brooklyn thing, I think. But the photo is another Emma classic.

2 Comments

  1. Jon, this is absolutely AMAZING !!!!!!!!!!!! And the expression and body language of ROBIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pure joy.

  2. I have to agree with Robin…why WOULD you be swinging a sword around, albeit your own, with just a scarf draped over your shoulder???

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