mythological art, women of literature, women of mythology

Penelope

Penelope is one of the most remembered characters of Homer’s Odyssey. Her name has always been associated with marital fidelity. She is the wife of Odysseus, well known for her fidelity to her husband while he was absent, despite having a legion of suitors. Her name has been understood as combination of the Greek word… Continue reading Penelope

mythological art, women of mythology

Sirens and Mermaids

When we think about mermaids or sirens, it is probable that our minds evoke the image of beautiful creatures, half woman, and half fish. However, it was not always like this. In their origins, in mythologies and popular folklore, they were associated with perilous events. Archaic perfume vase in the shape of a siren, c.… Continue reading Sirens and Mermaids

mythological art, women of mythology

Echo

In the Greek Mythology, Echo was an Oread, a mountain nymph who lived in the Mont Cithaeron. Probably the most famous story about her is that of her love for Narcissus and how she was unable to confess it. Her story is present in Ovid’s Metamorphoses and in some literary works of medieval era. Echo… Continue reading Echo

mythological art, women of mythology

Medea

In Greek Mythology, Medea is the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, a niece of Circe and the granddaughter of Helios, the sun’s god. In most stories she is known as a powerful sorceress. Medea is also an important figure in the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, appearing in Euripides’s tragedy Medea, in the… Continue reading Medea

Art, mythological art, women of mythology

The Sleep of Venus and Cupid by Constance Mayer

Constance Mayer was a French artist who painted portraits, miniatures, genre works and allegorical themes. Mayer was one of the successful women artists following the French Revolution. She had the opportunity to study with Joseph-Benoît Suvée and Jean-Baptiste Greuze, it explains that she adopted soft brush strokes and that she painted some sentimental scenes like… Continue reading The Sleep of Venus and Cupid by Constance Mayer