This is a painting of the infamous Medusa. In Greek mythology, Medusa was a monster with snakes for hair and the ability to turn people to stone with her gaze. She was once a beautiful woman who was cursed by the goddess Athena after she was seduced by Poseidon in one of Athena's temples. Medusa is often depicted in art and literature as a symbol of female power and as a cautionary tale about the dangers of temptation and hubris. In some versions of the story, she is ultimately defeated by the hero Perseus, who uses a mirror to avoid her gaze and then beheads her with a sword.