Medusa

Medusa was one of three sisters known as the Gorgons.

Originally a golden-haired and very beautiful maiden, she was as a priestess of Athena, devoted to a life of celibacy; but wooed by Poseidon, whom she loved in return, she forgot her vows, and became united to him in marriage. 

For this offence she was punished by the goddess in a most terrible manner. Each wavy lock of the beautiful hair which had so charmed her husband, was changed into a venomous snake and whoever would gaze directly upon her would turn to stone. 

Rhodes Medusa Mosaic - 4th century BC

From then on, her life became very complicated. It ended tragically when Perseus beheaded her.

She became however a favourite theme of ancient mosaics.
 

Brading Roman Villa, Isle of Wight, UK

I started to work on my own Medusa during the summer of 2011.

As usual, I used my preferred reverse method for this piece.  I laid the first tesserae  - Black granite and Beige Travertine - on August 28.

Medusa, August 28, 2011

On August 30 I completed the outside frise - a geometrical pattern often found in ancient Greek mosaics.

Medusa, August 30, 2011.

It took one week to complete the full head. Medusa is made mostly of stones : marbles of various colors, travertine, granite, and I used small pieces of red smalti for the snakes tongues.

Medusa, September 7, 2011. Dry

One way to better visualize the final result why working the reverse method is to spray water on top of the piece... The water brings out the actual colors as if the piece had been polished.

Medusa, September 7, 2011. Wet

I flipped Medusa at the beginning of October and used a dark red grout to fill the gaps between the tesserae.

Medusa, October 8, 2011

You can appreciate on these 2 pictures how the quality of light impacts the way you see a mosaic. This is an important factor to consider when you place a piece in your home. Generally, a warmer light better brings out the colors of a mosaic.

 

Medusa, October 8, 2011

As Medusa was destined to be a table, I polished her very finely. 

Although a polished mosaic does not catch the light as beautifully as an unpolished one I like to polish my tables. The feel of the hand on the well polished stone is a very pleasant one. 

Finally, Medusa was inserted into a beautiful bronze coated frame made of cast aluminium and steel.

Medusa, October 12, 2011

The 3 legs of the table represent the winged horse Pegasus. 
 

Pegasus,  Apulian red figure vase 4th Century B.C.

Medusa, November 2011.

Pegasus, the result of the marriage of Poseidon to Medusa, was born when the hero Perseus cut her head off.

Detail of the Table leg.

Medusas dimensions are : 
Mosaic diameter : 27"  (69 cm)
Table Height : 24" (61cm)
Table Diameter (horses level) : 34" (86 cm)


If you are interested in the Medusa Table, would like to commission a different table or mosaic, or would simply like to learn more about mosaic, please contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com, or by phone at (334) 798 1639.

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Koinonia Kaffe

Koinonia Kaffe Mosaic Sign.

Yesterday, October 20, I installed Medusa at Koinonia Kaffe in Headland

Medusa, a classic Roman style Mosaic. Oct 2011

For the past 3 years, off and on, a number of my mosaics have been displayed at Koinonia

Rhonda Harrison, Owner and Manager of Koinonia, always smiling, does a great job to bring art and harmony to our community. Live music is played there on a regular basis, and Numerous work of arts of different artists are displayed at Koinonia. Mosaicblues works have been displayed there since our first show in August 2008

Marylin and Green Eyes at Koinonia

Beside that, the coffee and Food are outstanding - I encourage you to visit them in Headland, on the square. In difficult economic times, few people try to promote Art and Culture, we should all stick together for the common good of our communities.

August 2008 - Saint George Mosaic

 

 

MEDUSA - Minerva's Shield

Medusa, one of the three Gorgons, daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, was celebrated for her personal charms and the beauty of her hair locks. Neptune fell in love with her, and obtained her favors in the temple of Minerva. This violation of the sanctity of her temple did not amuse the chaste Minerva, who changed Medusa's beautiful locks into a bunch of hissing snakes. 

From that day on, Medusa's very look had the power to kill or turn people into stones. Perseus made himself immortal by his conquest of Medusa. He cut off her head, and the blood that dropped from the wound produced the innumerable serpents that infest Africa. He then placed Medusa's head on Minerva's shield.

Here is a preview of my last creation. MEDUSA will be available as a TABLETOP, as a flooring decoration or as a Wall display. 

This Medusa is the closest one can be of Traditional Roman Mosaics - only better as its smoothness makes it perfect to be used as a table...

With the exception of the snakes tongues made of bright red glass, It is exclusively made of stones - no ceramic or terra cota - but only granites, marbles, travertines, and possibly a few others. It is 27 inches in diameter. Medusa has a very smooth and shiny finish. It was designed to make a gorgeous Coffee Table, but would also look fantastic on your wall. 

The table itself is welded steel and cast aluminum alloy.

Arles Archaeological Museum

The modern Musée de l'Arles Antique  is located about 20 minutes walking away from downtown Arles . The museum was built on the site of the enormous Roman circus where horse races and bullfights were organized (The Gladiators were fighting in the Amphitheater).It presents models of ancient monuments, objects from daily life from the prehistoric period to the 6th century AD, with a great emphasis on the Roman Era.

Among the displays are one of the world's most famous collections of 4th-century Roman Christian sarcophagi as well as sculptures, mosaics, jewelry and inscriptions.

 

Medusa

Medusa was celebrated for her personal charms and the beauty of her locks. Neptune fell in love with her, and obtained her favors in the temple of Minerva. This violation of the sanctity of the temple really pissed Minerva, and she changed the beautiful locks of Medusa, which had inspired Neptune’s love to serpents... Don't mess with Minerva.

I visited the Museum last November to see the expo about the archaeological underwater investigation of the Right Bank of the Rhone River, which produced the most beautiful torso of Julius Casear ever excavated.

Among the Mosaics displayed there were beautiful pieces : 

Zeus and Europa

Europa was the beautiful daughter of the Phoenician king of Tyre, Agenor. Zeus, the King of the gods according to Greek mythology, fell in love with her. (He had a tendency to do that...)

Overwhelmed by love for Europa, Zeus transformed himself into the form of a magnificent white bull and appeared in the sea shore where Europa was playing with her maidens. The great bull walked gently over to where Europa stood and knelt at her feet. The appearance and movements of the bull were so gentle that Europa spread flowers about his neck and dared to climb upon his back overcoming her natural fear of the great animal.

But suddenly, the bull rushed over the sea abducting Europa. Only then the bull revealed its true identity and took Europa to the Mediterranean island of Crete. There, Zeus cast off the shape of the white bull, and back into his human form, made love to Europa beneath a cypress tree. Europa became the first queen of Crete and had by Zeus three sons: King Minos of Crete, King Rhadamanthus of the Cyclades Islands, and, according to some legends, Prince Sarpedon of Lycia. She later married the king of Crete, who adopted her sons.

Orpheus Mosaic

The Greeks of the Classical age venerated Orpheus as chief among poets and musicians, and the perfecter of the lyre invented by Hermes. Poets pretended that, with his music and singing, he could charm birds, fish and wild beasts, coax the trees and rocks into dance, and even divert the course of rivers. He was one of the handful of Greek Heroes to visit the Underworld and return.