Zeeanemonen in het aquarium van het Laboratoire Arago before 1900

This is a photograph of sea anemones in the aquarium of the Laboratoire Arago, captured by M. Prouho. The composition, stark in its monochrome palette, reveals clusters of these marine organisms, their tentacles splayed out like Medusa's hair. Consider the symbolism of Medusa, whose gaze turned men to stone. The anemone, with its similarly mesmerizing and potentially dangerous beauty, echoes this ancient archetype. We see this motif throughout history—from the Gorgon shields of ancient Greece to the femme fatale figures of the Symbolist movement. The seductive yet perilous nature of beauty, a theme that has preoccupied artists and philosophers for millennia. The image engages our collective memory, tapping into primal fears and attractions. Like Narcissus gazing into the water, we are drawn to the image, yet wary of its hidden depths. This photograph is not merely a scientific record, but a potent symbol of the enduring human fascination with the beauty and danger lurking beneath the surface.