Neptune on a Sea Monster c. 1500s

Severo da Ravenna created this bronze sculpture of Neptune on a Sea Monster in the late 15th or early 16th century. In Renaissance Italy, depictions of classical gods weren't just about aesthetics; they reflected a culture deeply invested in reclaiming its Greco-Roman heritage. This sculpture, with its idealized male form, embodies a very specific kind of power. Neptune stands tall, trident in hand, dominating the sea monster beneath him. There’s an assertion of control, not just over the seas, but perhaps over the unknown, the wild. Consider the male gaze inherent in this work, how it presents a singular version of masculinity as strength and dominance. Representations like these have historically shaped, and continue to shape, our understanding of gender and power. They tell us who is in control, and who is subjugated. As you stand here, think about the stories we tell through art, and whose voices are amplified in those narratives.