Loggia dei Lanzi, Florence

John Singer Sargent

1902–8 · Graphite on off-white wove paper · The American Wing

Sargent made a series of drawings, watercolors, and an oil painting of the renowned bronze sculpture Perseus and Medusa (1545–54) by Benvenuto Cellini (1500–1571), in the Loggia dei Lanzi, Piazza della Signoria, in Florence. Sargent was fascinated by the gruesome Mannerist sculpture, which represents the mythological hero Perseus holding the head of the slain Gorgon Medusa. He stands on her twisted, decapitated body as blood pours from her neck and head. Sargent’s rapid sketch seems to have been a preliminary study for his painting, a night scene. With expressive, broad hatching, Sargent indicates the planes of darkness and shadow in the background and beneath the loggia, while boldly suggesting the contours of the sculpture.

Artist

John Singer Sargent

Date

1902–8

Medium

Graphite on off-white wove paper

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. Francis Ormond, 1950