"In the 1630s, Bernini began a tempestuous affair with Costanza Bonarelli, the wife of an assistant. But their idyll was ruined when Bernini caught his brother Luigi sneaking away from her quarters and exploded with rage. The artist sent his servant to her with orders to slash her face. Thus when Bernini carved "Medusa," he viewed her as the mythical creature, a Gorgon, who had been caught having an affair with Neptune. Medusa is being punished -- with her hair transformed into writhing snakes and crying out with anguish. This is Bernini pushing to the limits what he could do with sculpture [Carrara marble]. The mythical Medusa turned onlookers into stone, and he turns stone into living flesh. That's the quality that made him famous." http://online.wsj.com/article... - Adriano

Don't blink - Alez☭