The Gorgon in Art

Abstract Depictions Of The Gorgon First appeared around the eighth century B.C.E, and the image has been with us ever since. That’s about as far back as what we would call Greek art goes, so the Gorgon is indeed one of the oldest figures in Greek art. As with all images, it has undergone changes through the years, but most of the important features held constant through classical times. In 1896 Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher analyzed the Gorgon in art, and his description of its evolution is still the standard one. According to Roscher, the development of the Gorgon can be divided into three stages. The oldest, the Archaic Gorgon, runs from about the eighth century B.C.E. through about the fifth. The Gorgons that appear in “The Shield of Hercules” are perfect examples of Archaic Gorgons. They have wide-open, staring eyes and a broad grinning or snarling mouth filled with prominent teeth, usually with both upper and lower fangs. Despite the toothy display, there is a prominent, painfully protruding tongue. The extreme facial expression usually produces strongly drawn lines at the edges of the mouth and on the forehead.