Perseus with the Head of Medusa, Trentham Gardens

Mid-C19 bronze cast of Benvenuto Cellini’s mid-C16 statue, ‘Perseus with the Head of Medusa’.

MATERIALS: the statue is of bronze. The pedestal is of sandstone.

DESCRIPTION: the bronze statue depicts Perseus holding up the severed head of the Gorgon, Medusa, whilst he gazes down at her decapitated and contorted body, supported on a cushion. He is shown carrying his sword in his right hand and wearing the winged sandals given to him by Hermes, and the helmet of invisibility from Hades; this is pushed to the back of his head. Whilst both figures are naked, Perseus wears a narrow sash on his right shoulder falling to his left hip.

The figures are on top of a square sandstone pedestal. To the north face of the dado a stone plaque is inscribed:

PERSEUS AND MEDUSA / ORIGINAL STATUE SCULPTED BY / BENVENUTO CELLINI / IN FLORENCE FOR THE GRAND / DUKE OF TUSCANY. MDL. / THIS REPLICA MADE BY ORDER OF / THE 2nd DUKE OF SUTHERLAND / WITH THE PERMISSION OF HIS / FRIEND THE THEN GRAND DUKE / OF TUSCANY WAS ORIGINALLY / ERECTED HERE ON THE / RECONSTRUCTION OF TRENTHAM / HALL. MDCCCXL. / RESTORED AND REPLACED HERE / BY ELIZABETH COUNTESS OF / SUTHERLAND MDCCCCLXVI.

On the east face of the dado, another stone plaque has been added with the inscription:

THIS PLAQUE WAS UNVEILED BY / LADY HILDA CLARKE, / WIFE OF / SIR STANLEY CLARKE, CBE, DL, / LIFE PRESIDENT OF / St. MODWEN PROPERTIES PLC, / 29TH MAY 2004 / IN CELEBRATION OF THE / RESTORATION OF THIS STATUE AS / PART OF THE COMPREHENSIVE / REGENERATION OF THE / TRENTHAM GARDENS AND / ESTATE BY / TRENTHAM LEISURE LIMITED

The three-stepped base of the pedestal is set on circular platform with two steps around its perimeter. The four columns are surmounted by urns.