This dramatic painting by depicts the moment Perseus beheads Medusa. The composition is charged with movement, with Perseus lunging forward, his muscles tense as he strikes the fatal blow. Medusa, with her head twisting backwards, her arms flailing, and her serpentine hair writhing, conveys a sense of violent struggle and impending doom. Her pale, partially exposed body contrasts with Perseus' darker, shadowed form, heightening the intensity of the scene. Maffei’s brushwork is loose and expressive, with rapid, energetic strokes that enhance the chaotic energy of the moment. The lighting is dramatic, with figures illuminated by an eerie, almost moonlit glow, giving them an ethereal and fleeting quality. The background figures, possibly the other Gorgones or divine spectators, are rendered with a hazy softness, adding to the dreamlike atmosphere. The painting captures the brutality and heroism of the myth, with Perseus’ determination juxtaposed against Medusa’s anguish. The colour palette, dominated by deep shadows, golden highlights, and the striking red of Medusa’s drapery, reinforces the emotional intensity of the scene. The influence of Venetian Baroque painting is evident in Maffei’s dynamic composition and expressive use of colour and light.