Unidentified artist, Head of Medusa

Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

Date: 16th century
Technique: Oil on panel, 49 x 74 cm

From an early point, museums endeavoured to add the name of Leonardo to their collections. As early as 1782 this panel in the museum's depository was linked to a head of Medusa by Leonardo da Vinci which Vasari mentions. It is likely, though, that a well-read Netherlandish artist had read the biographer's description of the monster that is said to have frightened Leonardo's father, and amalgamated it and an independent head of Medusa to produce this painting.