Minerva (Pallas Athena) met Medusahoofd op schild 1530

Jacob Binck's 1530 engraving "Minerva (Pallas Athena) met Medusahoofd op schild" depicts the Roman goddess Minerva (Athena in Greek mythology) standing in a contrapposto pose, her weight shifted to one leg. She holds a spear in one hand and a shield bearing the severed head of Medusa, the Gorgon whose gaze could turn men to stone. The engraving, now part of the Rijksmuseum collection, captures the strength and power of the goddess, a popular subject in Renaissance art. This image reflects the traditional representation of Minerva as a symbol of wisdom, warfare, and protection.