Perseus 1865

François-Nicolas Chifflart created this etching titled *Perseus* during the 19th century. It depicts the triumphant hero Perseus standing over the body of a slain man, holding aloft the severed head of Medusa. Chifflart, working in a period of significant social upheaval in France, engages with classical mythology, perhaps as a way to comment on contemporary issues of power, heroism, and violence. The male body is prominently displayed, both in victory and defeat, raising questions about gendered power dynamics. Who is the man beneath Perseus’s foot, and how does his defeat relate to Perseus’s heroic status? Medusa, often interpreted as a symbol of female rage and monstrous femininity, here is reduced to a trophy. The image is charged with tension; Perseus is presented as a figure of masculine triumph. As you consider this image, reflect on the complex ways it perpetuates and challenges traditional narratives. The piece invites us to contemplate the relationship between power, gender, and representation.