Stanhope

John Roddam Spencer Stanhope is considered by some to be a “second wave Pre-Raphaelite”. He was influenced by Edward Burne-Jones, and he was a close friend of Dante Gabrielle Rossetti. He was also uncle to Evelyn De Morgan, whom I have featured previously in this category.

Love and the Maiden by John Roddam Spencer Stanhope

Let’s jump right in. This above painting is another example of allegorical art in which Love has been personified in a mythological way. Shown below is a photograph of the artist next to a portrait painted by his niece, Evelyn De Morgan.

  

Stanhope was evidently willing to explore themes from Greco Roman Mythology to Christianity. The following painting (for which I did not find a title) apparently depicts the quote from Luke 2: 24 (“Why seek you the living among the dead?”) in which an angel proclaims the resurrection of Christ to the women who have visited his empty tomb on the third day.

 

Here is a portrayal of an angel expelling Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden:

Stanhope, John Roddam Spencer; The Expulsion from Eden; Walker Art Gallery; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/the-expulsion-from-eden-97032

I will show one more. This is taken from the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, another wacked-out lovers’ tragedy from Roman mythology. Guess what? They both die.

Orpheus and Eurydice on the Banks of the Styx by John Roddam Spencer Stanhope

I will feature some more paintings from this artist next week.

Mythological Beasts and Spirits: Dryad

Dignified, the ancient giants, from their homes of bark and wood,
Hearkened to the forest maiden, in the fog before her stood.
From: The Staff in the Tree by Robert Lambert Jones III

Dryads are among my favorite characters from mythology and folklore. From Greek mythology to modern times, their interpretations in art and literature are varied. They are tree spirits, certain versions of which can emerge from their arboreal homes as human beings. Most of the representations I have found are female.

The Dryad by Evelyn De Morgan

The Dryad by Henry John Stock.

In other versions, they are so bound to their homes that they die if their trees are cut down. I wish I could credit the following painting, but I could find no information on the artist. If anyone knows and can tell me, I will gladly update this post (artist: Emile Jean-Baptiste Philippe Bin – many thanks to Colin Smith for the information). I was intrigued by the idea of a dryad emerging to prevent a woodsman from cutting down her tree. The painting implies a story.

In this painting by Edward Burne-Jones, the female figure is not a Dryad proper, but rather a woman temporarily transformed into a tree. She transforms back when the lover who neglected her repents of his actions. Though I haven not yet read the story, I think it comes from The Metamorphoses by Ovid. Still, the painting is reminiscent of the original concept of tree spirits.

The Tree of Forgiveness by Edward Burne-Jones

They are sometimes portrayed as males. For  The Staff in the Tree, I envisioned them as giant warriors, spirits that can emerge from their trees and take on solid form. This gave me good imagery around which to work some verses. In the story, the Dryads are forest guardians who are shrewd, severe, and entirely not to be messed with. I must cop to being influenced by J. R. R. Tolkien’s portrayal of the Ents in his Ring trilogy.

Juvenile though my drawing at the top of this entry may seem, it was a hard one for me to make with my limited technique. It certainly pales against the other images I have shown. I will end with a painting relevant to this post and last week’s as well.

Dryads and Naiads by Walter Crane.

Mythology on Canvas (Part 4)

Boreas and Oreithyia, 1896 (oil on canvas); by Morgan, Evelyn De (1855-1919); 165×99 cm; © The De Morgan Centre, London; English, out of copyright

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 aspects of those cultures concerning attitudes towards women. Of course, it also reveals the unfortunate reality of how women were physically treated throughout history. While this is and always has been a problem, its prevalence has varied from place to place and from time to time.

Now for the painting itself. What drew my attention were the winged Boreas, the flowing fabric, and the background landscape. Neither of these is as impressive by itself as they all are in combination. This visual synergy draws the eye. Curiously, there is no obvious evidence of distress on the face of Oriethyia.

Next week’s post will look at two more paintings by this artist before we move on to another.

Mythology on Canvas (Part 3)

The Dryad by Evelyn De Morgan

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 always). Dryads (tree spirits) were often portrayed as female, sometimes as male. This painting offers an appealing image of beauty and feminine mystique as perhaps only a woman could have done so. The partial uncovering and partial concealment of the Dryad’s form combines with her emergence from the tree to produce an effective image. I find the concept of this depiction of a Dryad as perhaps the most compelling I have seen. What is not shown can be more compelling than what is, and this is also true of how we present ourselves in real life.