Category: Mythology,
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04 Icons from the Bible, Mother of God Znamenie, Madonna del Parto, Christ is carrying our cross, Mother of God “Surety of sinners” and the Mandylio, with footnotes, #18
The Icon of the Mother of God, named the “Sign” (“Znamenie”), shows the Most Holy Mother of God seated with prayerfully uplifted hands. On Her bosom, against the background of a circular shield (or sphere) — is the Divine Infant giving a blessing. The Mother of God, known under the name “Znamenie-Sign”, appeared in Rus’ during the…
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01 Painting, Olympian deities, Francesco Furini’s Hylas and the nymphs, with footnotes # 39
Hylas was the son of King Theiodamas of the Dryopians. After Hercules killed Hylas’s father, Hylas became a companion of Hercules. They both became Argonauts, accompanying Jason in his quest on his ship Argo in seeking the Golden Fleece. During the journey, Hylas was sent to find fresh water. He found a pond occupied by Naiads,…
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01 Work , RELIGIOUS ART, Philip Hermogenes Calderon’s St Elizabeth of Hungary’s Great Act of Renunciation – with footnotes #200
Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-1231) was the wife of Lewis, Landgrave of Thuringia. After his death in 1227 during one of the Crusades, she entered a convent and devoted herself to good works. Before becoming a nun, she passed through a spiritual crisis, torn by the need to renounce the world, and therefore her children, in order…
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01 Work, Interpretations of Hellenic and Roman legends. Salvator Rosa’s Interpretation of The Dream of Aeneas, with footnotes #190
In Book VIII of Virgil’s Aeneid, the Trojan hero Aeneas has landed in Latium, exhausted from the brewing hostilities with the local Rutili and their leader Turnus. “This way and that he turns his anxious mind; thinks, and rejects the counsel he designed; explores himself in vain, and gives no rest to his distracted heart.”…
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1 Work, Artists Interpretations of Hellenic legends, Raffaello Sorbi’s Bacchanal, with footnotes #189
Bacchanalia, also called Dionysia, in Greco-Roman religion, any of the several festivals of Bacchus (Dionysus), the wine god. They probably originated as rites of fertility gods. Introduced into Rome from lower Italy, the Bacchanalia were at first held in secret, attended by women only, on three days of the year. Later, admission was extended to…
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11 Work, Artists’ Interpretations of Hellenic legends, The Rape of Deianira, with footnotes #188
Hercules pursuing the centaur Nessus, who wants to kidnap his wife Dejanira. However, the scene only gives Veronese the opportunity to describe the involvement of the figures in the mysterious realm of nature — an old theme of Venetian painting. Veronese’s latest style can also be recognized by the clearly darkened, autumnal colors and the open brushstrokes.…
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01 Painting, African deities, Harmonia Rosales’ Yemaya and Erinle, with footnotes #1
Yemaya is a major water deity from the Yoruba religion, Southwestern Nigeria and the adjoining parts of Benin and Togo. She is an orisha, a spirit. She is often syncretized with either Our Lady of Regla in the afrocuban diaspora or various other Virgin Mary figures. Yemoja is motherly and strongly protective, and cares deeply for all…
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01 Work, Contemporary Interpretations of Hellenic legends, Helen O’Shea as Leda from the Ziegfeld production of Leda and the Swan with footnotes #26
Photograph of Helen O’Shea as Leda from the Ziegfeld production of Leda and the Swan, ca. 1920s. A rare vintage black and white photograph of a Ziegfeld Follies revue dancer, Helen O’Shea, nude save the large white swan. Posed on toe upon a columniatied tiered pedestal, she seductively caresses the swan. On the verso is…
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01 Work, Contemporary Interpretations of Hellenic legend, Robert Brackman’s Muse, with footnotes #27
Muse, in Greco-Roman religion and mythology, any of a group of sister goddesses of obscure but ancient origin, in Boeotia, Greece. They were born in Pieria, at the foot of Mount Olympus. Very little is known of their cult, but they had a festival every four years at Thespiae. They probably were originally the patron…
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01 Painting, Olympian deities, Giuseppe Simonelli’s Battle of the Centaurs against the Lapiths, with footnotes # 47
The battle depicted takes place between the Lapiths and the Centaurs at the wedding feast of Pirithous. Pirithous, king of the Lapith, had long clashed with the neighboring Centaurs. To mark his good intentions Pirithous invited the Centaurs to his wedding to Hippodamia. Some of the Centaurs, over-imbibed at the event, and when the bride…
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05 Paintings of Olympian deities in classical Greek and Roman religions; Andromeda Chained to the Rock by the Nereids, with footnotes
In Greek mythology, Andromeda was the daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, king and queen of the North African kingdom of Aethiopia (the Upper Nile region). Paul Gustave Louis Christophe Doré (6 January 1832–23 January 1883) was a French artist, printmaker, illustrator and sculptor. Doré worked primarily with wood engraving. Doré was born in Strasbourg on…
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01 Painting, Olympian deities, FLEMISH SCHOOL’s Cephalus and Procris, with footnotes # 46
Cephalus was married to Procris, a daughter of Erechtheus, an ancient founding-figure of Athens. One day the goddess of dawn, Eos, kidnapped Cephalus when he was hunting. The resistant Cephalus and Eos became lovers, and she bore him a son. However, Cephalus always pined for Procris, causing a disgruntled Eos to return him to her, making…
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02 Paintings, Olympian deities, Antiope and Dirce, with footnotes # 45
Dirce was a daughter of the river-gods Achelous or Ismenus, or of Helios. After Zeus impregnated Antiope, Antiope fled in shame to King Epopeus of Sicyon, but was brought back by Lycus through force, giving birth to the twins Amphion and Zethus on the way. Lycus gave Antiope to Dirce. Dirce hated Antiope and treated…
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05 Works, Contemporary Interpretations of Olympian/Roman legend, Ceri Richards’ Rape of the Sabines, with footnotes #24
The theme of the rape of the Sabine women, taken from Roman legend, was a recurring subject in academic history painting. The story of the abduction of the women of the Sabine tribe by the men of Rome in order to populate the city presented a theme through which Richards could further his interest in…
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01 Sculpture, Olympian deities, Scipione Tadolini’s GREEK SLAVE, with footnotes
About the sculpture. This elegantly conceived figure of a Greek Slave is one of Scipione Tadolini’s defining masterpieces. Tadolini was the eldest son and inheritor of Antonio Canova’s principal studio assistant, Adamo Tadolini, and, like his father, he rapidly emerged as one of the leading sculptors in Rome during his lifetime. The superbly carved and…
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08 Mosaic , Olympian deities, Roman wall painting from Pompeii, with footnotes, #10
Eros brought by Peïtho to Venus; Anteros laughs at him because he is being punished for having chosen the wrong target. In Greek mythology, Peitho is the goddess who personifies persuasion and seduction. Her Roman equivalent is Suada or Suadela. She is the goddess of charming speech. She is typically presented as an important companion…
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01 Painting, Olympian deities, Louis Welden Hawkins’ Muse Erato on a Deserted Beach, with footnotes # 44
In Greek mythology, Erato is one of the Greek Muses. The name would mean “desired” or “lovely”, if derived from the same root as Eros, as Apollonius of Rhodes playfully suggested in the invocation to Erato that begins Book III of his Argonautica. Erato is the Muse of love poetry. In the Orphic hymn to the Muses,…
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01 Work – Painting from Norse mythology, Edward Robert Hughes’ DREAM IDYLL (A VALKYRIE), with footnotes – #7
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie (from Old Norse valkyrja “chooser of the slain”) is one of a host of female figures who choose those who may die in battle and those who may live. Selecting among half of those who die in battle, the valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled…
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01 Paintings, Olympian deities, Prague School’s Venus, Bacchus and Cupid, with footnotes # 43
Venus and Love/ Venus and Cupid. Different tales exist about the origin of Venus and Cupid. Some say that Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, had a love affair with Mars, the god of war. Out of this relationship, Cupid was born. Cupid has attributes from both of his parents. Like his mother he is considered…
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11 Paintings, Olympian deities, by the Old Masters, with footnotes # 9
The theme of Sine Cerere et Baccho Friget Venus — literally, ‘without Ceres or Bacchus, Venus would freeze’ — is derived from a line in Act IV of The Eunuch, a Roman farce by a Roman dramatist Terence and explained by the 16th-century humanist Erasmus, this image illustrates the idea that food and drink, the gifts of Ceres and…
Zaidan Gallery 