In 2024, an ambitious and fascinating project came to life, born from the intersection of scientific rigor and artistic sensitivity: the polychrome reconstruction of the sculpted head of the Gorgon Medusa, housed in the splendid Tomb C of the Hypogeum of the Cristallini. This endeavor was made possible thanks to the collaboration between the Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung in Frankfurt and the Italian institutions long committed to the study and preservation of this extraordinary archaeological complex.
The project began in February 2024, when—building on the analyses and investigations already conducted by the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio of Naples, in collaboration with the Istutito Centrale per il Restauro in Rome—the German team launched a new cycle of in-depth research. On the original surface of the Gorgon, FORS investigations, ultra-high-resolution photogrammetry, and additional archaeo-artistic analyses were carried out. Each survey was essential to fully understand the complex chromatic stratification of the piece and to come as close as possible to the historical truth of its original appearance.
Months of intensive work were required to reach the heart of the project: the creation of a life-sized replica of Medusa’s head, 3D printed using black quartz sand. On this base, using pigments and materials as close as possible to those of antiquity, the researchers brought to life a painted reconstruction aimed at restoring the illusionistic power and refined modeling of the original. The extraordinary preservation of chromatic traces made this project a case of excellence in the field of ancient polychromy research.
Meanwhile, from March to September 2024, the Liebieghaus Skulpturensammlung in Frankfurt hosted a public-facing laboratory. In this lively and dynamic space, visitors had the opportunity to observe the delicate reconstruction process up close, led by Ulrike Koch-Brinkmann and her team, in a continuous dialogue between science and public engagement.
To crown this remarkable work, the museum also dedicated a thematic exhibition to the figure of the Gorgon Medusa, exploring the evolution of her iconography and symbolic significance through the centuries.
The protagonists of this adventure were the members of the Liebieghaus Polychromy Project: Vinzenz Brinkmann, Ulrike Koch-Brinkmann, Heinrich Piening, and Jakob Salzmann. Thanks to their dedication and expertise, the ancient face of Medusa once again speaks to us in its original colors—suspended between myth, art, and science.
