#classical greek art

[lionofchaeronea]

A lion attacks a stag. Reverse of a silver didrachm issued by the polis of Elea in southern Italy between 420 and 380 BCE. The obverse, not shown, bears the head of Athena. Now in the Staatliche Münzsammlung, Munich, Germany. Photo credit: ArchaiOptix/Wikimedia Commons.

[katerinaaqu]

Heracles and Dionysus Drinking contest (Early 2nd AD century, Antioch, Imperial Roman mosaic)

This mosaic from an Atrium House in Antioch depicts a funny small story known in classical art as a drinking contest between Heracles (Hercules) and Dionysus (Bacchus). According to the story, Heracles challenges Dionysus in a drinking contest and of course loses. The result of their contest seems to be an anecdotal story that he joins his Thiasus for a short while.

In this mosaic we can spot Heracles naked and kneeling while chugging down from his cup (the lion mane and club resting before his knees). To the far left we can detect the figure of a double-flute playing menad while we see Dionysus casually resting upon pillows, holding a thyrsus/spear to his hand and showing his own empty cup to Heracles while being surrounded by the satyr Silenus (far right) and his cup-bearer, the little satyriscus to the center. One can also detect the golden-colored crater in the middle.

The parallels between the two figures seem to be incredible:

Both are sons of Zeus and both are arguably the youngest of their classes (Dionysus is the youngest god of the Olympians born by Zeus and Heracles according to some roman sources is the last demi-god from the last mortal lover Zeus takes)

Both are born by a mortal woman (Alcmene and Semele respectably)

Both have been induced in madness by Hera (Dionysus repeatedly while Heracles was turned mad and threw his children with Megara in the fire), and continusly targeted by the wrath of the goddess

Both become divine just in different ways (Dionysus is established as one of the 12 gods of Olympus while Heracles becomes a god post-mortem)

Both seem associated with Elysian mysteries

Both are associated one way or another with theater or role-playing (Dionysus being the god of theater among others while Heracles had at some point dress as a woman while living with Omphale)

One is associated with strength and power (Heracles) while the other is associated with art but also Madness (Dionysus)

Both are associated with the youth (Heracles for his war achievements while Dionysus is also portrayed as a youth many times)

Dionysus according to some myths is married to a god-made woman (Ariadne) while god-made Heracles marries a goddess (Hebe)

Both figures travel to the underworld (Heracles during his 12 labors when he goes to take Cerberus while Dionysus according to orphic traditions as Zagreus descends to the underworld to come back out as Dionysus through Semele)

Consequently to above, both figures suffered a painful death (Dionysus as Zagreus being torn to pieces and/or eaten by Titans, Heracles poisoned by Hydra's poison in Nessus's blood through his marital chiton and consequently burnt)

Both figures have been iconically depicted in association with a wild animal (Heracles wearing a lion skin, Dionysus either riding or wearing a leopard)

Both figures have myths that associate them with non-human creatures (Heracles having good time with the Centaurs, Dionysus being followed by Satyrs)

I find it interesting how we do not have more art or talk about these two iconic mythological figures!

[gemsofgreece]

Mosaic from the 4th century BC discovered in Erétria, Euboea island, Greece. The mosaic depicts two satyrs, the older one dancing at the melody played by the younger one. The mosaic was found in a location where more ruins of late classical artistocratic houses have been unearthed as Ancient Erétria was prospering at the time. Based on the dimensions and the shape of the room with this flooring, it was likely an “andronas”, the room of the house which was exclusive to men, where the symposia took place. The classical mansion was abandoned in later times and was turned to a Christian cemetery by the 5th - 6th century AD.

Source

[mary-maud]

York Art Gallery, autumn 2024 🍂

[golyadkin]

Sons Of The Labyrinth or The Things Our Fathers Do To Us

[aqua-regia009]

Circe Invidiosa (Red edit), 1892 - oil on canvas — John William Waterhouse (English, 1849-1917)

[blvvdk3ep]

I love you people going into "useless" fields I love you classics majors I love you cultural studies majors I love you comparative literature majors I love you film studies majors I love you near eastern religions majors I love you Greek, Latin, and Hebrew majors I love you ethnic studies I love you people going into any and all small field that isn't considered lucrative in our rotting capitalist society please never stop keeping the sacred flame of knowledge for the sake of knowledge and understanding humanity and not merely for the sake of money alive

[constanzarte]

Death of Sappho, by Miguel Carbonell Selva

[the-evil-clergyman]

The Sorceress by John William Waterhouse (1911)

[artthatgivesmefeelings]

Vlaho Bukovac (Croatian, 1855-1922) Andromeda, n.d. National Gallery of Slovenia

[vetyr]

Hades and Persephone

Recent commission! The details on this one were crazy fun to paint, I spent a lot of time on it but I'm really happy with the result :)

If you'd like to make an inquiry or get more information about commissions, feel free to email silverthegold@gmail.com.

[lionofchaeronea]

Polychrome terracotta sculpture of the god Dionysos, holding an egg and a rooster. The unusual attributes may hint at a connection to Orphism, which held that the first deity, Phanes or Protogonos ("First-Born"), was hatched from a cosmic egg. Adherents of Orphism saw humankind as the descendants of Dionysos (under the name "Zagreus"), created when the Titans devoured the young Zagreus and were then struck by Zeus' thunderbolt. Artist unknown; created in Tanagra, Boeotia (an important center of terracotta production) ca. 350 BCE. Now in the British Museum.

[onesockartist]

Birth of Venus 🩵✨

One of the rare instances a school assignment actually turns out good

[thereinart]

I could be a dick and call this " Andromache's dream"...But I 'd rather call it 'Andromache's life happy and unbothered forever"

Anyway, have a little Hector and Astyanax TvT

[unbizzarre]

Young Odysseus introduces his son to the goddess Athena

(Alternative title: Telemachus meets his fairy Godmother)

Creator’s note:

Does this picture look blurry to you? Like even if you click on the image to enlarge it? I don’t know why but I can’t seem to get tumblr to show the full resolution image. I worked hard to make faces that actually look like faces for once but now they’re just blurry blobs 😭. Anybody know how to fix? EDIT: thank you all for the feedback! I’m glad it is not blurry for you!

[duckysprouts]

odysseus’s ultimate dream is to hand the work over to his very capable wife who was the only backbone of ithaca for the past 20 years and become a househusband who drinks wine and watches soap operas everyday

modern au where odysseus got drafted lmao