REPTILES

from their biological meaning to their

impact in history and art
REPTILES-from their biological meaning to their impact in history
and art

I. Introduction
1. Biological meaning of reptiles
2. Their colours and texture
3. The ability of changing colours

II. Mythology and Ancient World

1. Medusa in mythology
2. Medusa in Caravaggio’s paintings
3. Death of Cleopatra caused by a snake

III. Art and History

1. Different representations of reptiles in art
2. Meanings of reptiles in some cultures

IV. Fashion Designers and their brands

1. Designers that used reptiles as motifs
2. The Versace Logo
3. Representations in jewellery

V. Movies
1. Movies with reptiles
2. Review and main ideas of the movies

VI. Conclusion
VII. Bibliography
 1. 1. Reptiles are air-breathing vertebrates covered in special skin made
up of scales, bony plates, or a combination of both.
They include crocodiles, snakes, lizards, turtles, and tor- toises. All regularly
shed the outer layer of their skin. Their metabolism depends on the temperature
of their environment.
Unlike birds and mammals, reptiles do not maintain a constant internal body
temperature. Without fur or feathers for insulation, they cannot stay warm on a
cold day, and without sweat glands or the ability to pant, they cannot cool off on
a hot one. Instead, they move into the sun or into the shade as needed. During
cooler parts of the year they become inactive. Because of their slow metabolism
and heat-seeking behavior, reptiles are cold-blooded.
Reptile reproduction also depends on temperature. Only boas and pythons give
birth to live young. The other species lay their eggs in a simple nest, and leave.
The young hatch days to months later. The soil temperature is critical during
this time: It determines how many hatchlings will be male or female. Young
reptiles can glide, walk, and swim within hours of birth. Reptiles first appear in
the fossil record 315 million years ago and were the dominant animals during
the Mesozoic era, which lasted for 270 million years until the extinction of the
dinosaurs.

2. Basically, animal color pattern is a longstanding and important topic

in evolutionary biology in general, and squamates in particular, which
exhibit a wide variety of color patterns such as warning signal of
venomous coral snakes and its mimicry by the distantly related non-
venomous snakes , and convergent evolution of stripes and vivid blue
tails by small lizards, are important target of several agents of natural
selection for effective visual signals to conspecifics for reproduction,
to predators for avoidance, and to sometimes prey for feeding.

3. Some of the most unique abilities are demonstrated by reptiles. From the ability of
some to move their eyes independently, the specially hinged jaws in others, and
most amazing of all, the ability to blend into their surroundings by changing color.
Reptiles that can change their colors are a fascinating example of the ways nature
has directed species to evolve and adapt. Driving out in the Australian desert you
may come across a bright orange two-foot long lizard perched on a tree stump. It
will be a bearded dragon, surveying its territory. But if you stop and get out of
your car, it will transform into a dull colour and try to escape notice using his new
camouflage.Biologists have found that lizards adapted to the red sands of central
Australia can’t blend in with the yellow sands of the south as well as the local
lizards. At the same time, the southerners can’t match the red hues of their central
Australian cousins. It suggests that while evolution is important, the lizards
change their colour in response to the different conditions they see around them.
 II. 1. Medusa, in Greek mythology, the most famous of the
monster figures known as Gorgons. She was usually represented as a
winged female creature having a head of hair consisting of snakes;
unlike the Gorgons, she was sometimes represented as very
beautiful. Medusa was the only Gorgon who was mortal; hence her
slayer, Perseus, was able to kill her by cutting off her head. From the
blood that spurted from her neck sprang Chrysaor and Pegasus, her
two sons by Poseidon. The severed head, which had the power of
turning into stone all who looked upon it, was given to Athena, who
placed it in her shield; according to another account, Perseus buried
it in the marketplace of Argos.

2. Caravaggio’s Medusa is one of the most gruesome and terrifying

paintings in the history of art. But why did he choose to paint it?
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio was the incredible Italian Baroque painter who
dazzled audiences with his breath-taking works of art. He told terrifying biblical and
mythological stories with stark, theatrical lighting and startling levels of realism,
inducing fear and wonder into the heart of Italy. Today, his paintings continue to
shock, terrify and inspire art lovers worldwide. Between 1596 and 1597 Caravaggio
made two of his most shockingly gruesome paintings, featuring the Greek Gorgon
Medusa with a severed head. Many have asked, why did Caravaggio choose to paint
the strange character of Medusa, who could turn men into stone with a single look,
and particularly at her moment of destruction? Cardinal del Monte commissioned
Caravaggio to paint two versions of Medusa. Both paintings were gifts to the Grand
Duke of Tuscany, Ferdinando I de Medici, who presumably had a taste for all things
gruesome. The second version, painted in 1597, is the most famous of the two. The
reason for the commission was to rival Leonardo da Vinci’s earlier depiction of
Medusa, which the Medici family once also held in their private art collection. Sadly,
Da Vinci’s Medusa is lost, so we will never know exactly how Caravaggio’s version
compared to that of his predecessor.
Although Caravaggio took on Medusa as a paid commission, the project must have
appealed to him for the creative challenges it presented. Medusa is a terrifying
mythological creature filled with imaginative possibilities, and her image is one that
has fascinated artists and writers for centuries. Inspired by this rich history,
Caravaggio painted his two versions of Medusa with some unusual and surprising
characteristics.

3. According to the most widely repeated theory of Cleopatra’s death,

she died from a venomous snake bite, inflicted either by an asp (a
small viper) or an Egyptian cobra. Hers would have been a particularly
poetic suicide: The asp was a symbol of royalty to the Egyptians,
while the cobra was associated with Cleopatra’s favorite goddess, Isis.
III. 1. Throughout history, reptiles have found their way into many
different forms of art. All cultures have represented these animals
through arts such as paintings, pottery and tattoos. Each culture have
their own beliefs on what reptiles mean to them.

2. In aboriginal art, lizards are often painted in dotted mosaics. Belief

says that lizards are part of the Dreaming Stories that relate to the
creation of the natural world and to the role of Ancestors and humans
in that world.
Dragons are seen in many cultures on all forms of art. In Chinese
culture, the dragon is a mythical creature often depicted as a serpent-
like being with the ability to fly. It is seen as symbol of power,
strength, and good luck. It’s a central figure in Chinese art, especially
in traditional paintings and sculptures.
Many Native American tribes created rock carvings (known as
petroglyphs) featuring reptiles, such as snakes and turtles. These
images often held spiritual and symbolic significance, connecting the
people to their natural surroundings.
In the modern tattoo word, reptiles continue to be a source of
inspiration. Reptilian motifs, such as snakes and dragons, are popular
choices in tattoo art across various cultures. They can symbolize
protection, transformation, or personal strength.
Showcasing the diversity of cultural artistic representations of
reptiles, you can see that reptiles have held a complex and
multifaceted place in human culture, from ancient mythologies to
contemporary expression. Reptiles often symbolize both awe and fear,
power and danger, and the natural world’s intricate beauty.
IV. 1. Versace, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Gucci and a
lot of other designers used reptiles textures in order to create
some of their garments. Clothes and shoes can be often seen
embroidered with snake prints.

2. The Versace logo is the head of Medusa, a Greek mythological

figure. The logo came from the floor of ruins in the area of Reggio
Calabria that the Versace siblings played in as children. Gianni
Versace chose Medusa as the logo because she made people fall in
love with her and they had no way back. The Versace logo is a
stylized image of Medusa that represents luxury, power, and
beauty. It was first introduced in 1978 and became an integral
part of the brand's identity and has remained largely unchanged
since its inception.
The use of the Medusa head in the Versace logo is significant in
several ways. Firstly, the image of Medusa is a well-known and
powerful symbol of Greek mythology, representing feminine
power, beauty, and wisdom. Secondly, the depiction of the
Medusa head in the logo is uniquely stylized, incorporating the
brand’s distinct design elements and creating a visually striking
image that is instantly recognizable. The Medusa head in the
Versace logo also reflects the brand’s commitment to luxury and
opulence, evoking an image of beauty and wealth that is
associated with the high-end fashion industry. The Versace logo is
widely recognized as a symbol of luxury and glamor, and it is
often associated with high-end fashion and sophistication and is
sought after brand for holiday gifts. The public perception of the
Versace logo is largely positive, with many consumers viewing it
as a status symbol and a marker of social prestige. The logo has
been seen across all elements of culture including the film “The
Devil Wears Prada” and the “Grand Theft Auto” series of video
games.

3. It was the jewellery of Cleopatra, in Rome more than 2,000

years ago, that inspired Bulgari to create its first Serpenti watch
in 1948. And the sinuous serpent has proved to be uniquely suited
to jewellery ever since.

The reptile has inspired serpentine jewellery from Boucheron,

Cartier and Elsa Peretti at Tiffany & Co as well as many
independent jewellery designers and artists. Serpente Bohème
was originally a snake necklace designed by founder Frédéric
Boucheron for his wife Gabrielle. It was revived by the maison in
the 1960s and then again in 2017 in a very abstract form based on
the snake’s head. Tiffany’s gold necklace is similarly very refined
with the snake clasping its tail like Ouroboros. Cartier draws on a
menagerie of animals for its creations including sometimes the
snake, like the Water Aspis necklace in its Beautés du Monde high
jewellery collection.

Some of Cartier’s most famous serpentine jewellery was created

in late 1960s for Mexican actress Maria Félix, including a 57cm-
long design. When asked by a reporter in 1981, “why snakes?” she
replied, “Let’s put it this way, it’s more of a fondness for diamonds
than for snakes. I’m definitely not about to put a real python
around my neck.”
V. 1. Reptiles feature a lot in horror movies, from the
alligators of Crawl to the snake of Anaconda. Reptiles have
featured on the big screen right from the days of black
and white to the action movies of today. They often get a
bad rep, not least in the reptilian dinosaur monster
creation of Godzilla.
Also, Jurassic Park and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are
some well-known movies with reptiles.

2.Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie is a profoundly

underrated motion picture, dramatizing an inherently
ludicrous concept with a dash of self-awareness and a
heaping helping of sincerity. Brought to life by fantastic
costumes by Jim and Brian Henson, the four brothers at
the heart of our tale fight bad guys, certainly, but also
navigate teenaged angst and rebellion in a believable way.
There is a sincerity to the relationships in Teenage Mutant
Ninja Turtlesthat can’t be obscured by the green scales the
actors are forced to wear. Add in some excellent action, a
gritty aesthetic that serves to make the story more
plausible (as opposed to more stylized), and a solid sense
of humor and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles emerges as
one of the better superhero movies we’ve ever had. And
it’s VERY pro-reptile. It’s hard to find a good pro-reptile
movie in general.
"Jurassic Park," a thriller set in a remote island theme park
where real dinosaurs have been grown from long-dormant
DNA molecules. The movie delivers all too well on its
promise to show us dinosaurs. We see them early and
often, and they are indeed a triumph of special effects
artistry, but the movie is lacking other qualities that it
needs even more, such as a sense of awe and wonderment,
and strong human story values.
VI. Reptiles can be found anywhere starting from
museums, biology books,movies to even garments of well-
known fashion designers. Reptiles have been a great
source of inspiration because of their presence in the
ancient world until now. They had a huge impact in
history and art by being present in famous paintings and
so on.
Everybody knows the meaning of reptiles biologically
speaking but if you look closer, you can see how relevant
they are in other fields and how many information you can
find about them.
 VIII. Bibliography

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-
sciences/reptile

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Medusa-Greek-mythology

THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BOOK, ANIMAL

ENCYCLOPEDIA, 2012

https://www.thecollector.com/why-did-caravaggio-paint-medusa/

https://amp.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3221405/ho
w-snake-became-high-jewellery-staple-luxury-brands-cartier-and-
tiffany-co-bulgari-and-it-didnt-all

https://www.history.com/news/cleopatra-suicide-snake-bite

https://sixtysixmag.com/what-does-the-versace-logo-
mean/#:~:text=The%20Versace%20logo%20is%20a,largely%20u
nchanged%20since%20its%20inception.

https://www.froglife.org/2023/09/28/cultural-artistic-
representations-of-reptiles/

https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/lizards-keep-it-local-when-
it-comes-to-colour-change.amp

https://www.nytimes.com/1993/06/11/movies/review-film-
screen-stars-with-teeth-to-spare.html