In the ancient world there were two different images that could be presented of the god Eros. The first was that of a young man with wings and rings in his hands, illustrated by a statue that was created around 400 BCE by the sculptor Praxiteles (Fig.1). Second is the depiction of a mischievous baby by an unknown sculptor from the first century BCE (Fig.2). This second depiction also had wings but once again the bow was missing. If the god Eros is depicted as a child he is generally with Aphrodite his mother. Of these two depictions the most common in the modern world is the baby depiction. Even though the baby depiction is the most common, in some instances whoever is working with the depiction will choose to use the young man. …show more content…
Each depiction of Eros has its similarities and differences from what tradition says Eros looked like. But by addressing each depiction in turn I hope to prove that Cupid is most important in the twentieth and twenty first centuries. To begin this discussion I will look at the image titled the Abduction of Psyche. Next will be the depiction of Eros in the television series Charmed. After that will be the depiction of Eros in a clip from the 1940 Fantasia. The final depiction will be from the Disney television series Hercules.
To start, I will talk about the image depicting Psyche and Eros. This image depicts one of the myths associated with Eros. In this myth Eros falls in love with Psyche, a mortal. William-Adolphe Bougereau painted this beautiful piece in 1895 (see fig.3). It depicts the abduction of Psyche by Eros. The image shows Eros with Psyche in his arms on the way to his home where he will live with her. Eros is a winged man who is almost nude and Psyche is a woman with moth wings. Psyche seems to be at peace in the arms of Eros.
In this image Eros is a strong young man who seems to have a purpose. It seems logical for a man to be used to depict this mythological scene because it is not very logical for a baby to be carrying the weight of a young woman. If this image was one of Eros as a baby, an
Ancient Greek art is something to be admired; the accuracy of the figures, compared to Egyptian art is commendable. The art works show great depths of emotion and detail. The “Grave stele of a little girl” is a beautiful relief of what appears to be a small child holding two birds. The forearm resembles a young child’s arm because it seems that the “baby fat” is still present, but it is strange that the face has less-childish features. The figure is in strict profile, which possibly suggests a Greek sculptor, in addition to the intricate detail and the contrapposto. Egyptian sculptors did not have
It is often—in books, poems, paintings, and sculptures—that one hears of and sees the goddess of love. But when is it that one hears of the god? In Greek mythology, Eros is the god of love, and a god who is many times overlooked. In Robert Bridges’ “EPÙÓ” and Anne Stevenson’s “Eros”, the idea that Eros is overlooked is portrayed, but in two separate ways. Techniques such as diction, imagery, and tone are used to help convey the idea.
Greek art, especially sculpture, was a common way to explore and reach past the confines of mankind’s natural appearance be it through penises, huge muscles, or generalized unrealistic body standards. Hercules and the Hydra, a sculpture by Mathias Gasteiger, presents an image of masculinity through the expressive posture and form of Hercules once you look past those gleaming bronze pectorals, and into the intricate details of the piece.
Achilles, the demigod son of a sea nymph named Thetis and king Peleus of the Myrmidons, is the central representation of a Homeric hero in Homer’s Iliad. His raging power is a source of awe for men on both sides of The Trojan War. In continuation of the Trojan narrative, Aeneid follows the wanderings of the Trojan prince Aeneas. His fate is to establish the Trojan Remnant in Latium, the birthplace of The Roman Empire, Aeneas faces an endless stream of challenges in his journeys. A significant obstacle is Turnus. Turnus, described by the Sybil as a “second Achilles,” proves to be incredibly like the Homeric hero. Virgil transforms Aeneas from a figure of pietas to one of furor similar to that of Turnus and Achilles. However, Aeneas never truly reaches the inhuman rage witnessed in these other two warriors.
Ancient Greek society fell over 2000 years ago but despite this, its mythology still continues to influence our western society. References to Greek mythology can be found all through time and in our western culture. The influence of Greek mythology can be found in our science, arts and literature and our language. When Ancient Greece fell to the Roman Empire, Rome adapted its mythologies which still influence us today as they have through history. That is not to say that Greek mythology wasn’t influenced itself – Greek mythology has links with the bible and the early Mycenaean’s. It has also been recognised as one of the earliest forms of paganism.
The story of Leda and the swan is mentioned very little in classical mythology based on Edith Hamilton’s book. However, the story is so famous and influential that many artworks referring to the story are created. In this video, some famous examples of art piece, along with the
Through Alcibiades’ speech about love, it should be connected with Diotima’s speech which comes from Socrates. She claims that Eros is the love of beauty, but not the ideal love. “ Then don’t compel what is not beautiful to be ugly, nor what is not good to be bad. So too for Eros, since you yourself agree that hi is neither good nor beautiful, do
The absolute pinnacle of Greek idealism and realism, the Apollo Belvedere, is incredibly life-like, looking more like an actual human being than a solid, immobile statue. Much like other Greek sculptures of the past, the Apollo Belvedere is meant to represent the ideal form of masculinity, and chooses the Greek god Apollo as the embodiment of these traits. The sculpture depicts Apollo, aiming a bow at an unnamed foe, while still remaining incredibly beautiful, calm, and composed. The figure embodies what the Greek people felt a Greek should be, poised no matter the circumstances, while still maintaining a level of grace unattainable for those unlucky enough to find themselves not being Greek. Whereas the Farnese Hercules represented an almost
The sculpture Apollo and Daphne, created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, is based off a story from Book 1 of Ovid's Metamorphoses. It is a portrayal of when Daphne is turned into a tree when trying to escape Apollo after they were both shot with an arrow by Eros. The sculpture is a powerful visual of Daphne and Apollo’s emotions as Daphne was captured by him. To evaluate the photo further I will discuss the feeling of empathy the sculpture made me feel and two connections the sculpture has to Ovid’s story.
Sophocles's Oedipus Rex is probably the most famous tragedy ever written. Sophocles's tragedy represents a monumental theatrical and interpretative challenge. Oedipus Rex is the story of a King of Thebes upon whom a hereditary curse is placed and who therefore has to suffer the tragic consequences of fate (tragic flaws or hamartia). In the play, Oedipus is the tragic hero. Even though fate victimizes Oedipus, he is a tragic figure since his own heroic qualities, his loyalty to Thebes, and his fidelity to the truth ruin him.
In early Greek mythology the Harpies were described as “beautiful winged maidens,” but as time went on they were described as “ugly creatures with wings.” In Inferno the Harpies were large bird-like creatures with the head of a lady. In the artwork “Aeneas and his Companions Fighting the Harpies” by François Perrier depicts men fighting the Harpies while protecting women, children, and
The phrase “Socratic method” gets tossed around quite a bit during the course of a liberal arts education. One way of describing this method is teaching by means of asking. The thought is that by asking questions, a teacher may trigger some thought in the student’s mind which comes about more organically and effectively than by the means of traditional lecture. Employing the Socratic method allows a teacher to guide a student’s train of thought toward a particular goal, and use of the method requires on the part of the teacher both a keen understanding of psychology and a clear idea as to where the line of questioning is intended to lead. The latter part of that statement becomes
The painting this paper will focus on is titled The Abduction of Europa by Noël-Nicolas Coypel. In this painting, the artist uses composition, light, color, and expressive qualities to achieve the mood of romance and playfulness in a mythological scene. The huge painting is representing a known myth that involves the Roman equivalent of a Greek myth of a powerful god being so infatuated with a nymph that he kidnapped her. In the this painted visual, we are specifically witnessing the moment Jupiter is swimming away with Europa and taking her far from her home.
Since the beginning of time the people of the world have their share of beliefs. Greek mythology is the arguably the most popular region of study. In Ancient Greece every citizen had a patron that would protect them and pantheism was commonplace. The Romans admired the Greeks in their art and culture and even took different aspects of their gods. Polytheism was widely accepted in all cultures so the seed of mythology bloomed. The time line of the creations of gods to the end of their reign is an important factor in Greek Mythology.
The term “Eros,” referring to passionate love in English, has long been the mainstream of themes in drama, literature, arts, and cinematic media. The fascinating power of love has been exhaustively publicized, and the pursuit of love is diffused in streets and lanes. Conversely, in ancient times, many poets, especially Virgil, Ovid and Apuleius, described eros as such an evil spirit that it will destroy the female soul thoroughly, except for the one in Apuleius’ story of Cupid and Psyche. Even if taking into account the historical background of a patriarchal community and therefore the esteemed male dominance, the particular case of Psyche’s surviving and even thriving her encounter with eros