Minerva 1550 - 1599

Benvenuto Cellini, the celebrated Florentine sculptor, created this bronze statuette of Minerva; the Roman goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, sometime in the 16th century. Cellini lived and worked in a world steeped in the rediscovery of classical antiquity. This Minerva embodies Renaissance ideals of beauty and strength while subtly navigating the complexities of gender and power. Minerva’s nudity, although classical, challenges the traditional representations of women. Her gaze is self-assured, as she holds a shield bearing the grotesque mask of Medusa. The emotional depth of the piece draws us in. Minerva’s posture and the Medusa’s mask represent a complex interplay of attraction and repulsion, inviting viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about power, gender, and representation. This Minerva doesn't just reflect societal ideals, it actively reshapes them.