Jason and Medea

Resource added
Black and white print drawing of Jason to the right of Medea. Jason is standing above, while Medea is sitting. Medea is holding a figurine of a man riding an eagle, showing it to Jason. While Jason is depicted as a fit, young man wearing a soldier's helmet, Medea is depicted with a disfigured body.
Pencz, Georg, ca. 1500 - 1550. (n.d.). Jason and Medea. [Print]. Retrieved from https://library.artstor.org/asset/ASMITHIG_10314008164

Full description

Medea, depicted in a disfigured, unappealing body, shows Jason a figurine. The figurine is not labeled, however, I believe it to be Ganymede--who was taken from the earth by Zeus's eagle to serve as cupbearer to the gods in Olympus. The figurine represents ambition, hope, and aspiration to reach the heights of Olympus. Medea showing Jason the figurine represents their relationship of Medea fostering and encouraging Jason's ambition. Additionally, the depiction of Medea's body as unappealing and lacking for represents her fatal flaw: despite being a woman, she "acts like a man".

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Download image “Jason and Medea”
  • type
    Image
  • created on
  • file format
    png
  • file size
    2 MB
  • creator
    Georg Pencz
  • publisher
    Smith College Museum of Art
  • publisher place
    Northampton ,MA
  • rights
    Deborah Diemente, Collections Manager/Registrar, Smith College Museum of Art, Northampton, MA