The Head of Medusa

The theme of the Medusa's head was one that Solomon treated often in his later years. A similar drawing was illustrated in Herbert Horne's The Hobby Horse in 1893, while two other compositions inscribed Let not thine eyes see aught evil itself, but be its shadow upon life enough for thee, and The Tormented Soul can be seen in Simon Reynolds, The Vision of Simeon Solomon, 1984, pls. 72 and 77. (The latter is also illustrated in The Last Romantics, exh. Barbican Art Gallery, London, 1989, cat. p. 6.). The present drawing shares with Let not thine eyes... a pair of open, staring eyes, superimposed on the closed eyelids. The symbolism of this can be found in the drawing's title. Evil inevitably weighs down on us. We must not, open eyed, invite its entry into our souls.

We are grateful to Simon Reynolds for his help in preparing this entry.