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Pygmalion et la vierge d'ivoire
Le sculpteur Pygmalion éprouve une fascination pour sa création qui représente une jeune femme sous le nom de Galatée. À travers cette oeuvre le sculpteur a façonné un idéal féminin, au point d'en perdre la raison et de tuer son maître... Pygmalion ne remarque pas l'amour que lui voue une autre femme, Agapé, bien réelle, elle. Désespérée face à l'indifférence du sculpteur, elle finira par se donner la mort. Aphrodite, la déesse de l'amour, décide pourtant de donner vie à la sculpture, répondant ainsi au voeu de Pygmalion... Mais il y aura un prix à payer !
80 pages, Hardcover
First published March 11, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 8, 2022
In "Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin," French author Serge Le Tendre aims to retell the Greek myth of Pygmalion and Galatea, which, as you'll remember, is about a genius sculptor that falls in love with the statue of a woman he's sculpting and, through the meddlesome intervention of goddess Aphrodite, is granted his wish that the exquisite ivory statue becomes a woman of flesh and blood. In the myth, this miracle has a happy ending.
It's more complicated in Le Tendre's rendition, which tends to follow the original plot close enough but with major deviations and changes. The story is expanded a little with details non-existent in the original, such as Pygmalion having a rather ornery father, an ordinary life as a village bumpkin trying to make a name for himself as the next great sculptor, and a young woman named Agape who is in love with him but whom he neglects in favour of his obsession with the perfect woman he's creating out of ivory.
Le Tendre seems to be wanting to explore the nature of true love in his retelling, through the unusual name of the "rival" to Galatea: "agape" is one of the various types of love the Greeks classified, but not erotic/romantic love. Galatea is romantic and erotic love, and she is the love Pygmalion chooses. Until Agape, through the meddling of Aphrodite, strikes a deal with the goddess that allows her to blur the lines between her and the ivory woman. The result is... different. Bittersweet, perhaps, if you squint. To me personally, it was tragic and entirely not in line with the myth.
That ending wasn't the only downside for me, however. The inclusion of some scenes looked like a waste of space and didn't add to the plot, such as that unnecessary mating of dogs that is shown in loving detail for several panels. For what? What does dogs in heat have to do with the story? And then there's the out-of-the-blue appearance of the sea monster that almost shipwrecks Pygmalion's puny boat, and also didn't contribute anything to the story. Since this is a very short story, only 80 pages, it read like bloating that should've been cut off, pure filler, and that space could've been spent developing the characters further. Agape, for one, deserved more page time. I would really have loved that, I found her the most interesting, far more than the protagonist, and is the reason I'm not rating this lower as I would because the flaws really did take away a lot from this graphic novel.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It's more complicated in Le Tendre's rendition, which tends to follow the original plot close enough but with major deviations and changes. The story is expanded a little with details non-existent in the original, such as Pygmalion having a rather ornery father, an ordinary life as a village bumpkin trying to make a name for himself as the next great sculptor, and a young woman named Agape who is in love with him but whom he neglects in favour of his obsession with the perfect woman he's creating out of ivory.
Le Tendre seems to be wanting to explore the nature of true love in his retelling, through the unusual name of the "rival" to Galatea: "agape" is one of the various types of love the Greeks classified, but not erotic/romantic love. Galatea is romantic and erotic love, and she is the love Pygmalion chooses. Until Agape, through the meddling of Aphrodite, strikes a deal with the goddess that allows her to blur the lines between her and the ivory woman. The result is... different. Bittersweet, perhaps, if you squint. To me personally, it was tragic and entirely not in line with the myth.
That ending wasn't the only downside for me, however. The inclusion of some scenes looked like a waste of space and didn't add to the plot, such as that unnecessary mating of dogs that is shown in loving detail for several panels. For what? What does dogs in heat have to do with the story? And then there's the out-of-the-blue appearance of the sea monster that almost shipwrecks Pygmalion's puny boat, and also didn't contribute anything to the story. Since this is a very short story, only 80 pages, it read like bloating that should've been cut off, pure filler, and that space could've been spent developing the characters further. Agape, for one, deserved more page time. I would really have loved that, I found her the most interesting, far more than the protagonist, and is the reason I'm not rating this lower as I would because the flaws really did take away a lot from this graphic novel.
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2022
In English: Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin
Pygmalion is a sculptor from Cyprus, known from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, who fell in love with his statue. This graphic novel is a retelling of this story. There are a few changes from the original, and I have mixed feelings about the story of Agape. But overall, I think it worked well.
Art is excellent, and it suits this classical myth. Colored illustrations are in classical style. I love that the characters really look like they are from somewhere in the Mediterranean.
Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin is suitable for adult readers who like classical mythology retellings.
Thanks to Europe Comics for the ARC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review, and all opinions are my own.
Pygmalion is a sculptor from Cyprus, known from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, who fell in love with his statue. This graphic novel is a retelling of this story. There are a few changes from the original, and I have mixed feelings about the story of Agape. But overall, I think it worked well.
Art is excellent, and it suits this classical myth. Colored illustrations are in classical style. I love that the characters really look like they are from somewhere in the Mediterranean.
Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin is suitable for adult readers who like classical mythology retellings.
Thanks to Europe Comics for the ARC and this opportunity! This is a voluntary review, and all opinions are my own.
January 10, 2023
Book #3 of 2023 reading challenge
reading prompt : mythological graphic novel
Pygmalion and the ivory Virgin is beautiful art work, very pleasant to look at as well as to read.
#spoileralert
I would have rated it more if it had not been for
*The weird dog sex scene in the initial few pages that really set me off but I didn't stop as I rarely DNF books. There's one more dog scene, although it was kind of okay to the story but writer could certainly have thought of something else. Come on, think something else. I don't want to see doggies doing it or doing another thing either.
*The Agape angle, I had kind of figured it out that is how it was going to end but frankly I didn't like it. It just made the story cheesy. Also that's not what happens right. Plus it was too manipulative and treacherous on the part of Agape and Aphrodite. That's nothing to new for Greek Gods to manipulate the simple human beings. Most stories are about manipulation, but okay whatever.
I'm fan of Greek mythology so I still enjoyed it even with above mentioned flaws.
reading prompt : mythological graphic novel
Pygmalion and the ivory Virgin is beautiful art work, very pleasant to look at as well as to read.
#spoileralert
I would have rated it more if it had not been for
*The weird dog sex scene in the initial few pages that really set me off but I didn't stop as I rarely DNF books. There's one more dog scene, although it was kind of okay to the story but writer could certainly have thought of something else. Come on, think something else. I don't want to see doggies doing it or doing another thing either.
*The Agape angle, I had kind of figured it out that is how it was going to end but frankly I didn't like it. It just made the story cheesy. Also that's not what happens right. Plus it was too manipulative and treacherous on the part of Agape and Aphrodite. That's nothing to new for Greek Gods to manipulate the simple human beings. Most stories are about manipulation, but okay whatever.
I'm fan of Greek mythology so I still enjoyed it even with above mentioned flaws.
November 7, 2022
I love anything mythology related, and I haven't read any retelling of this story so far. The sculptor Pygmalion who falls in love with his ivory statue Galatea and becomes obsessed with her.
The art is exquisite and the story is softly and gently written. I was enthralled by it.
The art is exquisite and the story is softly and gently written. I was enthralled by it.
July 24, 2022
Pygmalion & the Ivory Virgin, is a graphical retelling of that old & quite well known Greek classic, which then inspired the play Pygmalionby George Bernard Shaw, as well as the theatrical movie 'My fair lady'.
If one would recall, the original premise of the story was that of the sculptor Pygmalion, who in search of the perfect woman, crafted her into an ivory statue, then becoming obsessed over her. Moved by her devotion. the Goddess Aphrodite invoked her blessing, breathing life into stone, and bringing to life Galatea, with whom Pygmalion lived happily ever after.
This retelling, as scripted by Serge Le Tendre, and penciled by Frederic Peynet, attempts to flesh out the backstory of the titular character, while adding new ones who explain his motivations and personality.
____________________________________________________________
SYNOPSIS (Skip for Spoiler warning; but come on, the story has been out for like a few thousand years)
In the ancient city of Amathus, there lived Pygmalion, the young sculptor in training, son of the merchant Antheos. The infidelity of his mother, as well as growing up with an ornery father had left Pygmalion with an undue distaste towards women at quite a young age. He considers them all to be imperfect, and not up to his standards. He spurns the affection of the women who adore him, especially that of Agape; his neighbor & childhood friend loves him unconditionally.
Following the death of his father in an unfortunate accident, Aphrodite shows him the vision of his perfect woman, Galatea, whom he carves into an Ivory statue after much effort. Having realized his ideal, Pygmalion becomes obsessed with Galatea, spending every waking hour with her. Becoming more unhinged, he even bashes the head in of Copius, his teacher, who attempts to steal her from him, falling into a fever dream.
Agape finds him and nurses him back to health. But, the first thing that Pygmalion does after waking, is to throw Agape to the curb, and go back to his Galatea. Heartbroken, Agape renounces her home and joins the temple of Eris, as a Propoetide, a sacred prostitute. Making a deal with Aphrodite, she commits suicide, to realize her love.
At the same time as Agape breathes her last, Pygmalion finds to his joy & bewilderment that his perfect woman has come to life. He is walking on the clouds in jubilation, and soon the whole city is abuzz with the miraculous news of the stone statue that was brought to life by the Gods. After reveling in each other's company, the lovers decided to get married.
Alas, at the wedding dais, Pygmalion is accused of murder, the body of Copias his teacher, having washed up at shore. Pygmalion is to be taken by the crowds and sentenced for his crime, when Galatea, reveals herself as Agape, witness to his innocence.
Pygmalion is saved, but as a penalty to revealing her secret, Agape will turn back to stone. Being unable to live without her, Pygmalion choses to be with her, sharing her fate, and at sunrise, both lovers turn to stone in each other's embrace, together for all eternity.
___________________________________________________
WHAT I LIKED:
The Artstyle:
Peynet's artwork is exquisite, having a pastel like quality, and bringing a buttery oily broad strokes to character faces, skin tones and wide cityscapes. The contrast in skin tone, shadows and clouds add more vibrancy and life to the frames, and the sunny summer palette is very pleasing to the eyes, as well as makes the character's expressions pop out. I fell in love with it from the very first set piece. It also has an added benefit of really enhancing those scenes where Gods and their divine shenanigans are put into focus.
(I would love to share some examples, but have to refrain till a later date.)
WHAT I DIDN'T SO MUCH LIKE:
The story & themes:
Pygmalion's tale is something which can be viewed with wonderment, the first time you read it as a child. But as an adult the lessons which it conveys are....troublesome. The artist who detests women in real life, and sets out to 'make' his own personal perfect woman, doesn't sit well, by any standards. While adaptations like those of George Bernard Shaw, add a lot of levity and character growth for the female, here she is just the final prize for the protagonist.
The graphic novel, scripted by Le Tendre, attempts to flesh out Pygmalion and his motivations. To this effect, he successfully manages to insert a cast of characters who have varying amounts of depth, but are unfortunately underdeveloped and given too brief of a time to be explored.
Ironically, none of this helps the protagonist Pygmalion, who was supposed to be fleshed out and humanized. At the best of times, he comes across as an indifferent, cold hearted, self centered and sort of a chauvinistic swine. He is bratty at the best time, and sociopathic at worst.
The reason for his anathema towards women could be traced back to his childhood, and the infidelity of his mother Bresia. In throes of passion with her illicit lover, Bresia is caught red-handed by her husband, who proceeds to kill the lover, and banish Bresia from their home; all in front of a young Pygmalion.
This might have caused the boy to see all women as creatures who are inherently flawed and not meeting his standards of perfection. He holds a particular dislike towards the Propoetides, the sacred prostitutes, both due to their doctrine, and as this is where his mother took refuge after being thrown out.
In Galatea, he sees his perfect woman, untouched, incorruptible and free from all the inadequacies of this world.
Yet he does come across as sociopathic & uncaring in multiple instances. Waking up after the accident which claimed the life of his father, he doesn't spare a breath for the departed, immediately being obsessed over the woman in his visions.
Afterwards, in his obsession with Galatea, he throws away the love & affection that Agape has for him, ignoring even her kindness to him when he was injured. Even her eventual suicide barely registers in his psyche.
Agape had to literally be reborn into Galatea, into Pygmalion's perfect women, for him to finally start giving her some notice, and eventually realize their 'ahem', 'True' love.
This whole love affair seemed to be something which came out of a Fair & lovely (skin cosmetic) commercial. the guy ignores you first time around, you literally kill yourself to become more appealing to him, and them he deems you worthy of his attention and affection. It seems to send the wrong message in terms of romantic attraction & relationships in general.
Some part of me is not satisfied with the fairy tale ending which Pygmalion got. It was as if, all of his narrow minded behavior became justified and he is gifted with the women of his dreams. Forget all that talk of how love should be mutual. No, love is one sided, where one partner has to bend over backwards to realize the unreasonable standards to the other, and change herself to become a better woman for him. Definitely not the definition of a toxic relationship. After reading this, I wanted to go and reread The Practical Princess and Other Liberating Fairy Tales by Jay Williams to clear my palate.
Frankly, with the way that the story was progressing, I would have been more satisfied with a narrative where, after having come to realize his perfect woman, things go downhill for Pygmalion, as his ideal clashes with reality. An ending where Agape/ Galatea comes to realize that Pygmalion is not the man of her dreams, and she deserves someone better, leaving him as a blubbering puddle of tears would have been the perfect ending.
Speaking of Agape, it's a pity that the writers didn't choose to focus more on her, as she is by far the most interesting of the characters; followed by Bresia, Pygmalion's exiled mother. This tale could have been an allegory as to how the lives of these women were completely dictated by, and revolved around the men in their lives, and how the only release from this self deprecating cycle would have them branded as prostitutes.
A tale of Agape's journey from a heartbroken girl blinded by love, to someone who renounces her life to be an ascetic, before finally arriving at the self realization that she doesn't need someone's love to fill the emptiness in her heart would have been a great story worth reading. Hell, I want to write that story now!
____________________________________________
In summary, great artwork, flawed script. I want to give it a 3 out of 5.
[P.S. Thank you Netgalley & Europe Comics for giving me an ARC of the book. Well wishes.]
If one would recall, the original premise of the story was that of the sculptor Pygmalion, who in search of the perfect woman, crafted her into an ivory statue, then becoming obsessed over her. Moved by her devotion. the Goddess Aphrodite invoked her blessing, breathing life into stone, and bringing to life Galatea, with whom Pygmalion lived happily ever after.
This retelling, as scripted by Serge Le Tendre, and penciled by Frederic Peynet, attempts to flesh out the backstory of the titular character, while adding new ones who explain his motivations and personality.
____________________________________________________________
SYNOPSIS (Skip for Spoiler warning; but come on, the story has been out for like a few thousand years)
In the ancient city of Amathus, there lived Pygmalion, the young sculptor in training, son of the merchant Antheos. The infidelity of his mother, as well as growing up with an ornery father had left Pygmalion with an undue distaste towards women at quite a young age. He considers them all to be imperfect, and not up to his standards. He spurns the affection of the women who adore him, especially that of Agape; his neighbor & childhood friend loves him unconditionally.
Following the death of his father in an unfortunate accident, Aphrodite shows him the vision of his perfect woman, Galatea, whom he carves into an Ivory statue after much effort. Having realized his ideal, Pygmalion becomes obsessed with Galatea, spending every waking hour with her. Becoming more unhinged, he even bashes the head in of Copius, his teacher, who attempts to steal her from him, falling into a fever dream.
Agape finds him and nurses him back to health. But, the first thing that Pygmalion does after waking, is to throw Agape to the curb, and go back to his Galatea. Heartbroken, Agape renounces her home and joins the temple of Eris, as a Propoetide, a sacred prostitute. Making a deal with Aphrodite, she commits suicide, to realize her love.
At the same time as Agape breathes her last, Pygmalion finds to his joy & bewilderment that his perfect woman has come to life. He is walking on the clouds in jubilation, and soon the whole city is abuzz with the miraculous news of the stone statue that was brought to life by the Gods. After reveling in each other's company, the lovers decided to get married.
Alas, at the wedding dais, Pygmalion is accused of murder, the body of Copias his teacher, having washed up at shore. Pygmalion is to be taken by the crowds and sentenced for his crime, when Galatea, reveals herself as Agape, witness to his innocence.
Pygmalion is saved, but as a penalty to revealing her secret, Agape will turn back to stone. Being unable to live without her, Pygmalion choses to be with her, sharing her fate, and at sunrise, both lovers turn to stone in each other's embrace, together for all eternity.
___________________________________________________
WHAT I LIKED:
The Artstyle:
Peynet's artwork is exquisite, having a pastel like quality, and bringing a buttery oily broad strokes to character faces, skin tones and wide cityscapes. The contrast in skin tone, shadows and clouds add more vibrancy and life to the frames, and the sunny summer palette is very pleasing to the eyes, as well as makes the character's expressions pop out. I fell in love with it from the very first set piece. It also has an added benefit of really enhancing those scenes where Gods and their divine shenanigans are put into focus.
(I would love to share some examples, but have to refrain till a later date.)
WHAT I DIDN'T SO MUCH LIKE:
The story & themes:
Pygmalion's tale is something which can be viewed with wonderment, the first time you read it as a child. But as an adult the lessons which it conveys are....troublesome. The artist who detests women in real life, and sets out to 'make' his own personal perfect woman, doesn't sit well, by any standards. While adaptations like those of George Bernard Shaw, add a lot of levity and character growth for the female, here she is just the final prize for the protagonist.
The graphic novel, scripted by Le Tendre, attempts to flesh out Pygmalion and his motivations. To this effect, he successfully manages to insert a cast of characters who have varying amounts of depth, but are unfortunately underdeveloped and given too brief of a time to be explored.
Ironically, none of this helps the protagonist Pygmalion, who was supposed to be fleshed out and humanized. At the best of times, he comes across as an indifferent, cold hearted, self centered and sort of a chauvinistic swine. He is bratty at the best time, and sociopathic at worst.
The reason for his anathema towards women could be traced back to his childhood, and the infidelity of his mother Bresia. In throes of passion with her illicit lover, Bresia is caught red-handed by her husband, who proceeds to kill the lover, and banish Bresia from their home; all in front of a young Pygmalion.
This might have caused the boy to see all women as creatures who are inherently flawed and not meeting his standards of perfection. He holds a particular dislike towards the Propoetides, the sacred prostitutes, both due to their doctrine, and as this is where his mother took refuge after being thrown out.
In Galatea, he sees his perfect woman, untouched, incorruptible and free from all the inadequacies of this world.
Yet he does come across as sociopathic & uncaring in multiple instances. Waking up after the accident which claimed the life of his father, he doesn't spare a breath for the departed, immediately being obsessed over the woman in his visions.
Afterwards, in his obsession with Galatea, he throws away the love & affection that Agape has for him, ignoring even her kindness to him when he was injured. Even her eventual suicide barely registers in his psyche.
Agape had to literally be reborn into Galatea, into Pygmalion's perfect women, for him to finally start giving her some notice, and eventually realize their 'ahem', 'True' love.
This whole love affair seemed to be something which came out of a Fair & lovely (skin cosmetic) commercial. the guy ignores you first time around, you literally kill yourself to become more appealing to him, and them he deems you worthy of his attention and affection. It seems to send the wrong message in terms of romantic attraction & relationships in general.
Some part of me is not satisfied with the fairy tale ending which Pygmalion got. It was as if, all of his narrow minded behavior became justified and he is gifted with the women of his dreams. Forget all that talk of how love should be mutual. No, love is one sided, where one partner has to bend over backwards to realize the unreasonable standards to the other, and change herself to become a better woman for him. Definitely not the definition of a toxic relationship. After reading this, I wanted to go and reread The Practical Princess and Other Liberating Fairy Tales by Jay Williams to clear my palate.
Frankly, with the way that the story was progressing, I would have been more satisfied with a narrative where, after having come to realize his perfect woman, things go downhill for Pygmalion, as his ideal clashes with reality. An ending where Agape/ Galatea comes to realize that Pygmalion is not the man of her dreams, and she deserves someone better, leaving him as a blubbering puddle of tears would have been the perfect ending.
Speaking of Agape, it's a pity that the writers didn't choose to focus more on her, as she is by far the most interesting of the characters; followed by Bresia, Pygmalion's exiled mother. This tale could have been an allegory as to how the lives of these women were completely dictated by, and revolved around the men in their lives, and how the only release from this self deprecating cycle would have them branded as prostitutes.
A tale of Agape's journey from a heartbroken girl blinded by love, to someone who renounces her life to be an ascetic, before finally arriving at the self realization that she doesn't need someone's love to fill the emptiness in her heart would have been a great story worth reading. Hell, I want to write that story now!
____________________________________________
In summary, great artwork, flawed script. I want to give it a 3 out of 5.
[P.S. Thank you Netgalley & Europe Comics for giving me an ARC of the book. Well wishes.]
July 16, 2022
this was a very nice short graphic novel. i always like anything related to mythology, so of course i liked this take on the classic myth of pygmalion and galatea. the art style was very good, and even though some panels felt unnecessary, i liked them! for example the sea serpent- GIVE ME SEA MONSTERS AND I WILL STARE IN AWE!! i also really liked the ending and how even though it was sad, it was actually hopeful and meaningful!
( received this through netgalley! thank you! )
( received this through netgalley! thank you! )
July 11, 2022
3 stars
The name Pygmalion nowadays tends to invoke the play of the same name by George Bernard Shaw, but many often forget that it is a reference to a Greek story about a sculptor obsessed with creating the perfect woman. In Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin, Serge Le Tendre and Frédéric Peynet bring to life this ancient tale in an adaptation that feels more like Aesop's Fables than a true exploration of hubris. On top of that, there were quite a few inconsistencies in the narrative where it felt like a scene was missing. It's an enjoyable enough (and short) read, but there are better adaptations of Pygmalion out there in my opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and Europe Comics for an ARC of this comic in exchange for a fair and honest review!
The name Pygmalion nowadays tends to invoke the play of the same name by George Bernard Shaw, but many often forget that it is a reference to a Greek story about a sculptor obsessed with creating the perfect woman. In Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin, Serge Le Tendre and Frédéric Peynet bring to life this ancient tale in an adaptation that feels more like Aesop's Fables than a true exploration of hubris. On top of that, there were quite a few inconsistencies in the narrative where it felt like a scene was missing. It's an enjoyable enough (and short) read, but there are better adaptations of Pygmalion out there in my opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and Europe Comics for an ARC of this comic in exchange for a fair and honest review!
July 15, 2022
Many thanks to Netgalley and Europe Comics for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review is based on the English version of this book.
This comic is a retelling of the story of Pygmalion and Galatea with gorgeous illustrations. I both liked and disliked the artistic liberties taken in this mythological retelling. May be, because the last retelling of this story I read was V.E. Schwab's Galatea, this seemed a bit too flowery for me. The patriarchal influence in the society is apparent and the brutality faced by Bersei and Agape, the concept of virginity equaling to the value of a woman's worth and so on and so forth is what forms the basis of the story.
The story takes a happy twist in the ending with Pygmalion coming to senses about how wrong his beliefs of purity were (if only that happened in every instance).
Even though the book was short, the art style was beautiful and the book was enjoyable.
This comic is a retelling of the story of Pygmalion and Galatea with gorgeous illustrations. I both liked and disliked the artistic liberties taken in this mythological retelling. May be, because the last retelling of this story I read was V.E. Schwab's Galatea, this seemed a bit too flowery for me. The patriarchal influence in the society is apparent and the brutality faced by Bersei and Agape, the concept of virginity equaling to the value of a woman's worth and so on and so forth is what forms the basis of the story.
The story takes a happy twist in the ending with Pygmalion coming to senses about how wrong his beliefs of purity were (if only that happened in every instance).
Even though the book was short, the art style was beautiful and the book was enjoyable.
July 17, 2022
A deeper and more nuanced retelling of the classic tale, brought wonderfully to life by some great illustrations.
September 18, 2022
“Eternal beauty actually lives in our souls creating this feeling that we call love.”
August 27, 2022
Pygmalion is one of these Greek myths that many years can pass, but the story enchant all the generations, a story full of mankind and flaws and unreachable love, Pygmalion was in love with his own creation, a stone statue, and for the love of that statue he scorned the love of a woman that loved him for many years, yes, this comic book is a good way to introduce someone to the myth of Pygmalion, it could be a little more in depth (but I am a fan of this story) but I really can’t complain is well done, and the drawings look good as well.
I highly recommend this comic to fans of roman and Greek myths, I would advice some attention, since there's a bit of nudity and adult themes, so I wouldn't advice this for too young teens.
Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.
I highly recommend this comic to fans of roman and Greek myths, I would advice some attention, since there's a bit of nudity and adult themes, so I wouldn't advice this for too young teens.
Thank you NetGalley for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.
August 4, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this in exchange for an honest review.
It’s a classic, boy meets girl, girl loves boy, boy loves rock? In this Ancient Greek tale we see the love of story, both triumphs and pitfalls, of Pygmalion and Agape. Though I love a good myth I’ve never heard of these characters before so I can’t say if they are entirely fictitious or a retelling. Regardless, it’s beautifully illustrated. The watercolors are delicate and the characters are so expressive. It’s a fairly short book but an enjoyable experience all around.
It’s a classic, boy meets girl, girl loves boy, boy loves rock? In this Ancient Greek tale we see the love of story, both triumphs and pitfalls, of Pygmalion and Agape. Though I love a good myth I’ve never heard of these characters before so I can’t say if they are entirely fictitious or a retelling. Regardless, it’s beautifully illustrated. The watercolors are delicate and the characters are so expressive. It’s a fairly short book but an enjoyable experience all around.
August 25, 2022
**Disclaimer: I received a free advanced readers copy of Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin by Serge Le Tendre through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.
Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin by Serge Le Tendre is an adult graphic novel that tells the story of Pygmalion and the statue he carved into the perfect woman that eventually she was brought to life. It was published on June 22, 2022. I rated it 4 stars on Goodreads.
Here's the summary from Goodreads:
After “La Gloire d’Hera” and “Tirésias,” Serge Le Tendre is back with a new Greek tragedy.
Convinced that an extraordinary destiny awaits him, the young sculptor Pygmalion throws himself into the creation of a work that will change his life. He carves an ivory statue of his ideal woman, leading him to lose his mind and shut himself away, even rejecting the passionate and very real love of a young woman named Agape… The gods often meddle in the affairs of men, so Aphrodite, the goddess of love, decides to give the statue life in answer to Pygmalion’s mad desires. But there is a price to pay!
I enjoy adaptations of myths whether they are in the graphic novel format or whether they are in prose format. This one was obviously in graphic novel format, and it was quite well done. I didn't know a whole lot about the story of Pygmalion, but I did find myself quite intrigued by it. From what I had read before, Pygmalion didn't sound like that great of a person, but I did want to learn more of his story.
The art in the graphic novel was really great. The characters were well designed. They had a unique to look at them. They were all easy to tell apart. I liked the way that the panels were. designed and how the story all came through them. The use of colour was great. I really enjoyed the realistic art style.
The story line was interesting as well. I didn't super love Pygmalion as a character, and I don't think he necessarily deserved to get the love from Galatea/his transformed statue. However, the way he came across the idea to make her, and the way he got the material were all interesting layers of depth. I will admit that the myth I had read previously was very shallow in the layer of depth that was included. There were probably more details to the story than I was aware of. I liked the engagement plot and how Galatea came to life.
There was good pacing to the story, and an appropriately tragic end. Overall, it was quite well done and I definitely recommend that you check it out if you are at all intrigued by the premise.
Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin by Serge Le Tendre is an adult graphic novel that tells the story of Pygmalion and the statue he carved into the perfect woman that eventually she was brought to life. It was published on June 22, 2022. I rated it 4 stars on Goodreads.
Here's the summary from Goodreads:
After “La Gloire d’Hera” and “Tirésias,” Serge Le Tendre is back with a new Greek tragedy.
Convinced that an extraordinary destiny awaits him, the young sculptor Pygmalion throws himself into the creation of a work that will change his life. He carves an ivory statue of his ideal woman, leading him to lose his mind and shut himself away, even rejecting the passionate and very real love of a young woman named Agape… The gods often meddle in the affairs of men, so Aphrodite, the goddess of love, decides to give the statue life in answer to Pygmalion’s mad desires. But there is a price to pay!
I enjoy adaptations of myths whether they are in the graphic novel format or whether they are in prose format. This one was obviously in graphic novel format, and it was quite well done. I didn't know a whole lot about the story of Pygmalion, but I did find myself quite intrigued by it. From what I had read before, Pygmalion didn't sound like that great of a person, but I did want to learn more of his story.
The art in the graphic novel was really great. The characters were well designed. They had a unique to look at them. They were all easy to tell apart. I liked the way that the panels were. designed and how the story all came through them. The use of colour was great. I really enjoyed the realistic art style.
The story line was interesting as well. I didn't super love Pygmalion as a character, and I don't think he necessarily deserved to get the love from Galatea/his transformed statue. However, the way he came across the idea to make her, and the way he got the material were all interesting layers of depth. I will admit that the myth I had read previously was very shallow in the layer of depth that was included. There were probably more details to the story than I was aware of. I liked the engagement plot and how Galatea came to life.
There was good pacing to the story, and an appropriately tragic end. Overall, it was quite well done and I definitely recommend that you check it out if you are at all intrigued by the premise.
July 20, 2022
You THINK you know the story of the sculptor whose statue comes alive. I thought I did. But we only know the barest bones of the story, if you grew up knowing only Edith Hamilton.
"Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin" has a different impact, when seen visually. There is foreshadowing, there are layers that are NOT in the text, but are shown in the beautifully drawn panels. The impact of a sea monster that suddenly emerges is actually FELT like a blow upon turning a page, and so too are the animal activities that hint at echoes done by human counterparts later on. We also get to appreciate how Pygmalion's earlier sculptures are actually mediocrities, which makes one reflect on his frustration on sculpting women. Perhaps he was simply channeling his self-hatred to others, blaming innocent models and women in general for his own failings?
While Pygmalion is the title character, he comes across as a j*rk both in Hamilton's book and this one. It is Agape (*applauds name choice of author*), she who loves Pygmalion and is initially spurned, who shines. Although as a woman, I was just shaking my head at her, shouting: "Girl, HE'S NOT WORTH IT!!!"
To expect perfection by putting others on a pedestal... as a teacher, I was reminded of the Pygmalion effect in the classroom: when students have teachers who show high expectations of them, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Le Tendre's book shows us the build up and the consequences of the age old question: what happens after you find the perfect woman?
The font of the text took some getting used to, but after the first couple of pages I was so interested in the story that it no longer bothered me.
The ending felt a bit contrived for this reader, and also, a quick re-read of Hamilton's retelling shows inconsistencies. But of course, in the name of artistic license, all is forgiven.
Well worth the read! Le Tendre made an old tale new again.
FOR MATURE READERS ONLY.
(Grateful to Netgalley for a free download of this graphic novella!)
"Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin" has a different impact, when seen visually. There is foreshadowing, there are layers that are NOT in the text, but are shown in the beautifully drawn panels. The impact of a sea monster that suddenly emerges is actually FELT like a blow upon turning a page, and so too are the animal activities that hint at echoes done by human counterparts later on. We also get to appreciate how Pygmalion's earlier sculptures are actually mediocrities, which makes one reflect on his frustration on sculpting women. Perhaps he was simply channeling his self-hatred to others, blaming innocent models and women in general for his own failings?
While Pygmalion is the title character, he comes across as a j*rk both in Hamilton's book and this one. It is Agape (*applauds name choice of author*), she who loves Pygmalion and is initially spurned, who shines. Although as a woman, I was just shaking my head at her, shouting: "Girl, HE'S NOT WORTH IT!!!"
To expect perfection by putting others on a pedestal... as a teacher, I was reminded of the Pygmalion effect in the classroom: when students have teachers who show high expectations of them, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Le Tendre's book shows us the build up and the consequences of the age old question: what happens after you find the perfect woman?
The font of the text took some getting used to, but after the first couple of pages I was so interested in the story that it no longer bothered me.
The ending felt a bit contrived for this reader, and also, a quick re-read of Hamilton's retelling shows inconsistencies. But of course, in the name of artistic license, all is forgiven.
Well worth the read! Le Tendre made an old tale new again.
FOR MATURE READERS ONLY.
(Grateful to Netgalley for a free download of this graphic novella!)
October 15, 2023
Es gibt sehr unterschiedliche Darstellungen von Pygmalion, in denen aber immer diese tragische Figur der griechischen Mythologie eine beeindruckende Statue erschafft, die so perfekt ist, dass er sich in die verliebt und auch Geschlechtsverkehr mit ihr hat. In einigen antiken Werken wird davon gesprochen, dass diese Figur aus Elfenbein hergestellt wurde.
In der Reihe »Mythen der Antike« wurde in einem Band gleichfalls die Geschichte Pygmalions erzählt, dort aber lediglich auf 18 Seiten, während Serge Le Tendre seine Geschichte auf knapp 80 Seiten erzählt. Logisch, dass es hier Unterschiede gibt. Vor allem erzählt Le Tendre, wie eine derart große Figur aus Elfenbein hergestellt werden kann.
So oder so ist es eine Geschichte rund um den Aphrodite-Kult, die der Figur Leben einhaucht und so die Gebete von Pygmalion erhört. Dann trennen sich allerdings die Wege der beiden Graphic Novels und das Ende Pygmalions wird jeweils deutlich anders geschildert. Le Tendre streut mit einem Hund noch eine kleine humorvolle Nebenfigur ein, die die Geschichte begleitet. Auch dies eine sehr gute Idee, die die gesamte Geschichte auflockert.
Fazit
Bei griechischen Sagen und Legenden haben die Autoren alle Freiheiten, die Figuren in ihr eigenes Rampenlicht zu stellen. Das war in der Antike schon so und hat sich bis heute nicht geändert. Le Tendre erzählt die Geschichte von Pygmalion sehr stimmig und atmosphärisch und streut zudem eine Prise Humor hinzu. Eine Kombi, die sehr gelungen ist.
In der Reihe »Mythen der Antike« wurde in einem Band gleichfalls die Geschichte Pygmalions erzählt, dort aber lediglich auf 18 Seiten, während Serge Le Tendre seine Geschichte auf knapp 80 Seiten erzählt. Logisch, dass es hier Unterschiede gibt. Vor allem erzählt Le Tendre, wie eine derart große Figur aus Elfenbein hergestellt werden kann.
So oder so ist es eine Geschichte rund um den Aphrodite-Kult, die der Figur Leben einhaucht und so die Gebete von Pygmalion erhört. Dann trennen sich allerdings die Wege der beiden Graphic Novels und das Ende Pygmalions wird jeweils deutlich anders geschildert. Le Tendre streut mit einem Hund noch eine kleine humorvolle Nebenfigur ein, die die Geschichte begleitet. Auch dies eine sehr gute Idee, die die gesamte Geschichte auflockert.
Fazit
Bei griechischen Sagen und Legenden haben die Autoren alle Freiheiten, die Figuren in ihr eigenes Rampenlicht zu stellen. Das war in der Antike schon so und hat sich bis heute nicht geändert. Le Tendre erzählt die Geschichte von Pygmalion sehr stimmig und atmosphärisch und streut zudem eine Prise Humor hinzu. Eine Kombi, die sehr gelungen ist.
January 10, 2024
Based on a classical myth, this story is reimagined by Serge Le Tendre to good effect.
I had never really heard of this myth before so I came into this book blind. And reading it like that, I was pleasantly surprised by the story. Le Tendre has a good pace to the tale, and manages to keep things entertaining and lively throughout. The book is pretty short so there were some aspects that I felt could have been fleshed out a bit more, specifically regarding Agape, but overall, this was pretty good.
A big part of what I liked was the art. Frederic Peynet's art, which seems painted at times, was a perfect match for the story as it was classy and distinguished. Even the more gruesome parts involving blood looked great with this art style. I gave the book an extra star due to the art alone.
After reading this I read a bit more about it online and found that Le Tendre modified the myth a bit compared to the original telling. And while some people who like their myths pure may take offense, I didn't mind it as I found the story good enough to merit it's changes - even though I was unaware of them.
If you like classical myths and comic books, this one is one you should definitely pick up.
I had never really heard of this myth before so I came into this book blind. And reading it like that, I was pleasantly surprised by the story. Le Tendre has a good pace to the tale, and manages to keep things entertaining and lively throughout. The book is pretty short so there were some aspects that I felt could have been fleshed out a bit more, specifically regarding Agape, but overall, this was pretty good.
A big part of what I liked was the art. Frederic Peynet's art, which seems painted at times, was a perfect match for the story as it was classy and distinguished. Even the more gruesome parts involving blood looked great with this art style. I gave the book an extra star due to the art alone.
After reading this I read a bit more about it online and found that Le Tendre modified the myth a bit compared to the original telling. And while some people who like their myths pure may take offense, I didn't mind it as I found the story good enough to merit it's changes - even though I was unaware of them.
If you like classical myths and comic books, this one is one you should definitely pick up.
July 16, 2022
I will start off by saying I absolutely loved the art style. It’s very classic in the modern French sense and I really associate it well with Roman and Greek stories.
However, I believe this story brought absolutely nothing beneficial to the story of Galatea and Pygmalion. The title says it all, the focus is on the man and the ‘Ivory Virgin’ that is Galatea is a prize to be idealized that no human women can reach. The plot point of his unrequited love was unfortunate and not at all satisfying to modern readers.
This story was fine, likely truer to the original concept than I would like to read and the art is gorgeous, but this book is incredibly misogynistic and if you’re interested in reading more about the story of Galatea and Pygmalion, I’d much rather recommend Galatea by Madeline Miller over this comic.
CW: misgony , sexual content, suggested/almost happens incest, & suicide
*I received an eARC from Europe Comics & NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
However, I believe this story brought absolutely nothing beneficial to the story of Galatea and Pygmalion. The title says it all, the focus is on the man and the ‘Ivory Virgin’ that is Galatea is a prize to be idealized that no human women can reach. The plot point of his unrequited love was unfortunate and not at all satisfying to modern readers.
This story was fine, likely truer to the original concept than I would like to read and the art is gorgeous, but this book is incredibly misogynistic and if you’re interested in reading more about the story of Galatea and Pygmalion, I’d much rather recommend Galatea by Madeline Miller over this comic.
CW: misgony , sexual content, suggested/almost happens incest, & suicide
*I received an eARC from Europe Comics & NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*
September 11, 2022
Boy was this bizarre.
Pygmalion has a dream and becomes obsessed with recreating the woman he saw. Even kills his master in his obsession. Agape is in love with him but he cares for no woman. She makes a deal with Aphrodite and takes the forms of Galatea, Pygmalion's statue. Obviously he's over the moon and they get married but someone brings up that he murdered his master. To protect him Galatea/Agape reveals her true identity and the truth of what happened. But that also means her deal with the goddess is over. I guess it's a tradegy because it took her becoming a reincarnation of his statue for Pygmalion to fall in love with Agape. He is distraught about losing her and they both become statues?
Art style was fine. Wasn't expecting that much naked people. Honestly don't understand what Agape saw in him. Not my favorite story.
Arc provided by publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Pygmalion has a dream and becomes obsessed with recreating the woman he saw. Even kills his master in his obsession. Agape is in love with him but he cares for no woman. She makes a deal with Aphrodite and takes the forms of Galatea, Pygmalion's statue. Obviously he's over the moon and they get married but someone brings up that he murdered his master. To protect him Galatea/Agape reveals her true identity and the truth of what happened. But that also means her deal with the goddess is over. I guess it's a tradegy because it took her becoming a reincarnation of his statue for Pygmalion to fall in love with Agape. He is distraught about losing her and they both become statues?
Art style was fine. Wasn't expecting that much naked people. Honestly don't understand what Agape saw in him. Not my favorite story.
Arc provided by publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2022
Thank you to Europe Comics for the ARC of Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin, in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this short graphic novel, and I liked the author’s take on the classic myth. I would have liked to get more scenes with Agape since she is one of the most interesting characters in the book and her experiences are so foundational for the story. Ultimately though, I would recommend this to those interested in greek mythology retellings, and its definitely inspired me to pick up more graphic novel retellings!
3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this short graphic novel, and I liked the author’s take on the classic myth. I would have liked to get more scenes with Agape since she is one of the most interesting characters in the book and her experiences are so foundational for the story. Ultimately though, I would recommend this to those interested in greek mythology retellings, and its definitely inspired me to pick up more graphic novel retellings!
3.5 stars.
August 10, 2022
Firstly thank you to Netgalley and Europe Comics for the e-arc.
Sadly this one was a bit of a miss for me. I usually love the comics by Europe but I felt this one just felt a little to rushed. I retells the myth of Pymalion at whistle stop pace. My main issue is that I found all the characters pretty unlikeable. There was not one character I attached to during my time with the story, and found every single one them pretty rough.
That being said most of the time the art was gorgeous and was a real plus.
Sadly this one was a bit of a miss for me. I usually love the comics by Europe but I felt this one just felt a little to rushed. I retells the myth of Pymalion at whistle stop pace. My main issue is that I found all the characters pretty unlikeable. There was not one character I attached to during my time with the story, and found every single one them pretty rough.
That being said most of the time the art was gorgeous and was a real plus.
April 7, 2023
A very good graphic novel adaptation of the Pygmalion legend – how and why a young sculptor fell in love with one of his own creations, only to see the figure come to life. It certainly manages to cover much more ground than my scant knowledge would have allowed, adding in many more characters and a suitable earthiness. That said, it would be a poorer book if it were only for those with knowledge of or interest in the specific part of Greek myth concerned. And I think it succeeds there, opening this out to be a tale of stubbornness for a much wider audience than just the Hellenophiles.
September 1, 2022
Thank you so much Netgalley for the review copy!
I wasn't aware of Pygmalion's story before reading this book, so my opinion is completely based on what I've read in it. I feel like this is a tragic, in other words, toxic love story, only I don't feel any sympathy towards any of the characters. It was certainly relatable though. The illustrations are pretty good. Would recommend to mythology fans.
I wasn't aware of Pygmalion's story before reading this book, so my opinion is completely based on what I've read in it. I feel like this is a tragic, in other words, toxic love story, only I don't feel any sympathy towards any of the characters. It was certainly relatable though. The illustrations are pretty good. Would recommend to mythology fans.
July 8, 2022
Merci à NetGalley et à l'éditeur de m'avoir fourni un eARC de ce roman graphique !
C'était un récit bien fait d'un mythe classique, avec de belles illustrations qui complètent les personnages et l'histoire. Je le recommanderais à quiconque ne connaît pas la mythologie grecque, car il constitue une bonne introduction à certains mythes plus courts comme Pygmalion.
C'était un récit bien fait d'un mythe classique, avec de belles illustrations qui complètent les personnages et l'histoire. Je le recommanderais à quiconque ne connaît pas la mythologie grecque, car il constitue une bonne introduction à certains mythes plus courts comme Pygmalion.
February 22, 2023
”Hold me. I want to feel the sun’s rays for one last time… in your arms.”
Pygmalion is the Oli London of Greek mythology except he’s got skills and a lover.
I really liked the art style in this. However, were the panels of dogs in heat really necessary?
Pygmalion is the Oli London of Greek mythology except he’s got skills and a lover.
I really liked the art style in this. However, were the panels of dogs in heat really necessary?
August 8, 2022
Oldukça kısa ve umutsuz bir aşk hikayesi. biraz kopukluklar ve mantıksızlıklar olsa da güzeldi. mitolojiyi seviyorsanız muhtemelen bunu da severek okursunuz.
Want to read
September 15, 2022Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
September 22, 2022
An incredible and strong adaptation! Another gem by Europe Comics! Brava!
August 23, 2025
A beautifully illustrated take on the Pygmalion myth with a slight twist and a somewhat melancholy but lovely ending.
October 26, 2023
But, the past, fellow traveler... is a tomb that never closes.
Pygmalion and the Ivory Virgin by Serge Le Tendre. Beautiful artwork. A nice retelling of the story of Pygmalion and Galatea.
...that eternal beauty actually lives in our souls...
December 21, 2022
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
The next in their Greek myth series, author Serge Le Tendre and artist Frédéric Peynet, breath life into the classic tale of Pygmalion and his statue that comes to life.
The tale itself is straightforward, with the rather clever explanation for how Aphrodite brought the statue to life, and tackles the slippery ideas of loving and being loved in return. The artwork is stunning, Peynet did a wonderful job of characterization and bringing life (pun intended) to the story outside of just the script. The addition of characters outside the best known version of the myth, specifically Agape and Ephebe, make the story more authentic as well as drive the plot forward.
However, I didn't love the representation of people outside the Greek population-- specifically the almost animalistic depiction of the Egyptian slave.
PYGMALION is a great graphic novel, sure to be enjoyed by many!
The next in their Greek myth series, author Serge Le Tendre and artist Frédéric Peynet, breath life into the classic tale of Pygmalion and his statue that comes to life.
The tale itself is straightforward, with the rather clever explanation for how Aphrodite brought the statue to life, and tackles the slippery ideas of loving and being loved in return. The artwork is stunning, Peynet did a wonderful job of characterization and bringing life (pun intended) to the story outside of just the script. The addition of characters outside the best known version of the myth, specifically Agape and Ephebe, make the story more authentic as well as drive the plot forward.
However, I didn't love the representation of people outside the Greek population-- specifically the almost animalistic depiction of the Egyptian slave.
PYGMALION is a great graphic novel, sure to be enjoyed by many!
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