Caravaggio is known for the use of chiaroscuro technique through which he would manipulate viewers’ attention to accentuate the scene and important details. “Medusa” is my favorite example of this technique.

Even, light, neutral-green background is easy on the eye and brings attention to the central piece of the painting: the head of Medusa. The bright red of the blood flowing from the neck tells us that the head was just cut off the body, it could have still been flowing if the moment was not captured once and forever by the painter’s brush. At the same time, lighter background allowed Caravaggio to darken the snakes framing Medusa’s face, which in turn is illuminated by the light coming from the right upper corner. All of the attention is brought to the unnatural, disfiguring horror of the realization of Medusa’s death and defeat. The terror of her expression seems to be so strong as to put her monstrous nature in the shadow as the head casts a shadow over the snake-hair on her right. As a result, this painting is rather a depiction of pure emotion that seems to transgress the painting itself as opposed to the subject representation.