Robert Jones's Blog, page 18

Mythology on Canvas (Part 12)

The legend of Saint George and the Dragon is said to have been brought to Europe from the Middle East by the crusaders. Whether intentionally or not, it bears some rather obvious parallels to the myth of Perseus slaying Cetus to rescue Andromeda. For this reason, I have chosen to show one last set of … Continue reading Mythology on Canvas (Part 12) →

Mythology on Canvas (Part 11)

The Perseus Series by Edward Burne-Jones (continued): When her mother inappropriately (according to the convoluted etiquette of the gods) boasts of Andromeda’s beauty, this offends Poseidon. He inundates the coast of Aeithiopia (a fanciful Ethiopia) and sends the sea serpent, Cetus, to plague that country. The citizenry and rulers (i.e. her parents!) settle upon the … Continue reading Mythology on Canvas (Part 11) →

Mythology on Canvas (Part 10)

The Perseus Series by Edward Burne-Jones (continued): Once equipped, Perseus sets out to find Medusa. He must use the polished shield given him by Athena in order to view Medusa safely since her reflection cannot turn him to stone. In The Finding of Medusa (shown above), he appears to be holding a mirror in his … Continue reading Mythology on Canvas (Part 10) →

Mythology on Canvas (Part 9)

The Perseus Series by Edward Burne-Jones (continued from last week): To fulfill his promise, Perseus must seek the Hesperides (called sea nymphs in this series of paintings) for help, but he does not know where to find them. He must ask the Graiae (“gray ones” or “gray witches”) for information as to their whereabouts. Since … Continue reading Mythology on Canvas (Part 9) →

Mythology on Canvas (Part 8)

For the next several posts, I will comment on the Perseus series by Edward Burne-Jones . These paintings are based not strictly on the story from  ancient Greek mythology but also on a rather florid nineteenth century poem whose title and author at present escape my memory. Take, for example, the first painting in the … Continue reading Mythology on Canvas (Part 8) →

Mythology on Canvas (Part 7)

This week’s painting by Edward Burne-Jones is titled The Tree of Forgiveness. Like the painting featured in Part 3 of this series, it shows a woman emerging from a tree, this time to embrace a man. It was completed in 1882, but an earlier watercolor version had been exhibited in 1870 and had drawn criticism … Continue reading Mythology on Canvas (Part 7) →

Mythology on Canvas (Part 6)

Edward Burne-Jones was a well known pre-Raphaelite painter from England. I will feature a number of examples of his work. The painting I have chosen for this week is The Beguiling of Merlin from 1874.  As is the case with many paintings of stories from mythology,  the full impact comes from knowing the back story … Continue reading Mythology on Canvas (Part 6) →

Mythology on Canvas (Part 5)

This (as well as last) week’s selections demonstrate another common theme in mythology: the spiritual personification of the elements of nature. The Storm Spirits (pictured above) again makes use of multiple objects to achieve a visual synergy. The darker cast of the painting combines well with winged forms, fabric, clouds, and mountains to bring the … Continue reading Mythology on Canvas (Part 5) →

Mythology on Canvas (Part 4)

The legend of  Boreas and Oriethhyia serves as the subject of a visually interesting painting by Evelyn DeMorgan. In the original story, Boreas, the north wind, abducts Oriethyia after failing to woo her. The sexual assault of women (and sometimes men) by gods or spirits is fairly common in ancient mythology and reflects some disturbing … Continue reading Mythology on Canvas (Part 4) →

Mythology on Canvas (Part 3)

This week’s selection is The Dryad by Evelyn De Morgan. I like this painting because it is a depiction of a minor female deity painted by a woman. I have noticed that, in the paintings I have looked at by this artist, she often leaves the clothing of her female subjects in place (though not … Continue reading Mythology on Canvas (Part 3) →