Medea is an oil painting

Oil painting

Oil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...

 on canvas

Canvas

Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, and other items for which sturdiness is required. It is also popularly used by artists as a painting surface, typically stretched across a wooden frame...

 by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Frederick Sandys

Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys

Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys , but usually known as Frederick Sandys, was an English "Pre-Raphaelite" painter, illustrator and draughtsman, of the Victorian era....

 which was created in 1868. The painting was submitted to the Royal Academy of Arts for display in the Summer Exhibition of 1868 but it was rejected - most likely for political rather than artistic reasons.

Medea was modelled on Keomi Gray, a gypsy woman whom Sandys had met in Norwich

Norwich

Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...

, England, and taken back to London to sit for many of his paintings.