Andromeda and Perseus

William Etty 1787 - 1849

Summary

Mythological scene depicting Perseus rescuing Andromeda. The naked figure of Andromeda can be seen to the left, arms raised and chained to a rock. A long red robe hangs behind her, and between her body and the rock, a sea monster looks up towards the flying figure of Perseus. In the background, Perseus holds the head of Medusa in his left hand, and in his right he holds a knife. Below Perseus a group of figures lie amongst one another in the sea, looking towards him. The sea extends to the horizon, and the sky is filled with clouds.

Display Label

Andromeda and Perseus after 1840 William Etty 1787-1849 Oil on canvas Andromeda was a daughter of Cepheus and Cassiope, the King and Queen of Ethiopia. Neptune terrorised their country with a sea-monster after Cassiope claimed to be more beautiful than the Nereids, or sea-nymphs. Andromeda was chained to a rock as a sacrifice but was rescued by Perseus, a son of Jupiter. Waving Medusa's head, he turned the monster to stone and subsequently married Andromeda. Artists siezed on the erotic potential of the myth, this being the second of Etty's two versions. The first was criticised as 'vulgar' when shown at the Royal Academy in 1840. Gift of George Walthew 1894.4