Antonio Bottinelli Italian, 1827-1898

In Greek legend Medea was the wife of Jason, a passionate and vengeful woman and a sorcoress. The story of Medea as a wronged wife is told in Euripedes' play, Medea. Having persuaded Medea to leave her homeland to marry him in Greece after the capture of the Golden Fleece, Jason later left her for a Greek woman. Medea's vengance was only satisfied by murdering her own children, as well as the Greek woman and her father. Ovid prefered rather to cast Medea in the light of sorcery and enchantment, glossing over the bloody episode, in favour of her potions and magic powers.

Bottinelli's interpretation of the legendary Medea seems to hover between both aspects of her story. Her brooding pose and anguish seem to show her contemplating revenge, or perhaps remorseful after her crimes. However, none of the evidence of Medea's vengance is present, so that with her swirling drapery, rippling tresses and jewels clasped around her waist she also embodies the alluring role of  the enchantress.

Bottinelli studied at the Accademia di Belle Arte di Milano, travelling to Rome in 1852 and then Paris in 1858 to continue his studies. He took part in the International Exhibitions in Paris in 1855 and in London in 1862, as well as those in Philadelphia, Vienna and Melbourne.

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Panzetta, p.59