Perseus freeing Andromeda
The mythological story of Perseus freeing Andromeda tells how the hero Perseus, flying home after slaying the Medusa, saw the princess Andromeda chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster. He fell in love with her and, after her father promised her hand in marriage, Perseus killed the monster and saved her. He either used the head of the Medusa to turn the beast to stone or fought and slew it with his sword.
Andromeda is the daughter of Cepheus, the king of Aethiopia, and his wife, Cassiopeia. When Cassiopeia boasts that Andromeda is more beautiful than the Nereids (Sea Nymphs), Poseidon sends the sea monster Cetus to ravage the coast of Aethiopia as divine punishment. Queen Cassiopeia understands that chaining Andromeda to a rock as a human sacrifice is what will appease Poseidon. Perseus finds her as he is flying back from his quest to decapitate Medusa, and brings Andromeda back to Greece to marry her and let her reign as his queen. With the head of Medusa and his sword, Perseus slays Cetus to stop it from terrorizing the coast.
Perseus used both the sword (harpe) and the head of Medusa to defeat Cetus, depending on the version of the myth, with some stories saying he used his sword to pierce it in a fight and others saying he turned it to stone with the Gorgon’s head, sometimes even using the head as a petrifying weapon while still holding it or after cutting it off.
Using the Sword (Harpe):
- In many ancient depictions, Perseus fights Cetus with the curved sword (harpe) given to him by Hermes.
- He might fly around and stab the monster repeatedly until it dies.
Using Medusa’s Head:
- Other versions state Perseus used the severed head of Medusa to turn the sea monster to stone.
- This method is often described as him exposing the head to Cetus as it rose from the water.
So, the classic image of Perseus slaying Cetus with the Gorgon’s head is common, but the sword is also a key part of his arsenal in other accounts, sometimes used in conjunction or as the primary weapon.
1932, oil on canvas, 44″ h x 50″ w
Signed and dated lower right “Louis Grell 1932” inscribed verso ‘By Louis Grell’
