Greek mythology has fascinated audiences for centuries and has been portrayed in countless literary archetypes, as well as being represented throughout the history of visual arts. The appeal of Greek mythology is that many of the gods were similar to the people that worshiped them, from the jealous Hera to the egotistical Narcissus.
Likewise, these figures seem alive and real when transferred to canvas. Symbols from Greek mythology were often combined with the characteristics of Roman deities in order to provide additional messages and themes in early Christian art and were widely used by artists during the Renaissance and beyond to address social issues.
However, one of the interesting characteristics of artwork portraying Greek mythology is that not all of the work is used to portray gods. The servants of the gods, such as oracles and vestals, are treated with the same amount of reverence in the art world as the deities they once served. Heroes are also given their due, with many works depicting the trials of Hercules, Perseus fighting against Medusa, and other heroic quests that, according to legend, the gods had an interest in. Likewise, fantastical creatures abound in this category of art. Harpies, leviathans, fauns, nymphs, and spirits all serve to give this form of art its mystical feel.
The interest in portraying Greek figures is still popular today with the emergence of modern art. Pablo Picasso developed a series of Minotaur paintings in order to highlight the horror and violence of modern life while other artists use Dionysus with his feral women and love of wine to address the issue of decadent living and sexual promiscuity.
Although worship of the Greek gods is no longer in effect in today's society, the stories that this culture left behind have insured that their memories will never be lost to time. For many people, these artistic creations are more than just artwork depicting legendary or religious figures, but moral stories and wise warnings meant to reveal the character of mankind that the gods imitated throughout their lives.
Roman mythology art has been a component of fine art throughout the ages. Almost every master artist has created works which display Roman aesthetics, from ancient times to modern interpretations. These works have been used to examine the attitudes and mentalities of past generations.
The first signs of Roman mythological framed art were discovered in the ruins of Pompeii in which religious depictions of Diana, the goddess of the hunt, were painted on the walls. However, long after these deities lost their religious nature, these figures were still a source of fascination for artists. The appearance of each god or goddess changes considerably depending on what time period they were drawn in, as does the complexity of the symbols associated with them.
Botticelli is the most well-known painter of Roman mythology. His work, The Birth of Venus has been considered the height of Renaissance art and has been copied and modified throughout the years. He was also one of the first artists to develop large scale mythological scenes in his work. One of these modifications was done by traditional artists during the Impressionist movement, William Bouguereau. This was another artist whose works displayed many aspects of Roman mythology, some of which were the most amazing examples of this category ever created. His works 'The Ravishment of Psyche' and 'Girl Defending Herself from Love' were classic examples of this form of fantastical depiction.
Artwork depicting Roman aesthetics and mythological figures also began highly popular during the Rococo movement in France. These paintings were made famous by the works of artists like Francois Boucher, who’s sensitive and romantic depictions of such mythological figures as Diana, Venus, Jupiter, and Apollo are still highly popular to this day.
For people who are interested in fantasy subjects, Roman mythology canvas art has a variety of subjects and styles to choose from. Regardless of your design style, whether you're interested in the subtle symbolism of Renaissance art or the more modern styling of Dali and Goya, art depicting these Roman figures can be a complementary design choice.
