The Muse & the Myth

" Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged "

John 19:1

🖌: William-Adolphe Bouguereau {1825-1905} - 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔉𝔩𝔞𝔤𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫 𝔬𝔣 𝔒𝔲𝔯 𝔏𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔍𝔢𝔰𝔲𝔰 ℭ𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔰𝔱 {1880}

🌓

The most famous of paintings, Mona Lisa, alternatively known as La Gioconda, was painted by Italusn genius artist Leonardo da Vinci from 1503 to 1519.

According to his contemporary artist & biographer, George Vasari, the woman behind the enigmatic smile was Italian noblewoman Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo.

Although all recent findings seem to prove Vasari's theory, there have been various speculations throught the centuries, some of them identifying the painting sitter as Leonardo's mother or even Leonardo himself, cleverly disguising himself as a woman.

The painting, once decorating the palace of Versailles & Napoleon's bedroom, acquired its large fame after its theft from the Louvre Museum by Vincenzo Peruggia, in 1911. Perugia, who attributed his actions to his belief that the painting should belong to Italy, was acclaimed strongly in Italy for his patriotism.

In the 2 years the painting was missing, French poet Guillaume Apollinaire came under suspicion, was arrested and imprisoned. Apollinaire implicated his friend Pablo Picasso, who was brought in for questioning.

After the painting was found, it was brought back to the Louvre Museum where Mona Lisa's captivating grin questions the crowd until this day.



Leonardo da Vincy - Mona Lisa {1503-1519}

On the Nights around the full moon, peculiar, beautiful Women would draw circles of Fire with their hands to tame the Moon and the Tempest that rose within.

Some called them Witches ~



🎨 : - Dance of the Blood Moon {contemporary artist}

Pythia was the High Priestess of the Oracle of Delphi in Ancient Greece.

Her ambiguous prophecies were only given every 7th of the month, except for the Winter months, when Apollo, the god of Light and Divination, would be away, visiting the Valley of Tempe.

According to Greek Mythology, Pythia was named after the fearsome Snake, Python which Apollo killed to take over the land. Until then Delphi was devoted to the worship of the goddess Gaia.

It is said that before giving a prophecy Pythia would cleanse herself and drink Water from the Castalian Spring. She would then sit on a tripod underneath of which intoxicating Fumes would emerge and whilst chewing Laurel leaves would let out incoherent cries and phrases in Ecstasy.

The priests would then Transmute her bewildered speech into the famous Enigmatic answers and prophecies.

Long years of archaeological and geological excavations and research of our Time have shown that there are many rifts on the grounds of Delphi, caused by Earthquakes, through which intoxicating gases surface and thus can cause a person in a closed-up space, like a Temple, to fall into Ecstasy and Delirium. This is the state in which the great historian Plutarch described Pythia in his writings.







🖼 : John Collier - 𝔓𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔇𝔢𝔩𝔭𝔥𝔦 {1891}

M e r r y S a t u r n a l i a, Everyone ~ 🪷

" The ancient Roman holiday and festival in honour of the god Saturn was held on the last days of December.

Amongst other festivities, the holiday was celebrated with private gift-giving and continual partying.

Gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves as it was seen as a time of Liberty for both slaves and freedmen alike.

The poet Cactullus called it 'the best of days'. "

Thomas Couture - The Romans of the Decadence {1847}

According to a Russian folk poem, there was once a very poor young man called Sadko.

Sadko was a very talented musician and would often enjoy sitting by the river bank, playing his instrument, the Gusly.
His playing was so Artful that it caught the ear of the Tsar of the Sea who really relished it and decided to help the young man gain Wealth.

So he asked him to go to the local market and make a bet with the merchants that he could catch a golden-finned fish, which the Tsar would provide for him.

The young man did as he was told and, upon presenting the fish to the astonished merchants, came into great Fortune.
He then continued to trade on the Seas but did not pay back the Tsar with the sum that they had agreed in return for his Help.

The Tsar got angry with Sadko's ingratitude and imprisoned his ship in the middle of the Ocean. The shipmen tried to tame Him by offering gold but it soon became obvious that only a Life sacrifice would ease his Anger.

Thus, they drew lots and, by a calling of Fate, Sadko was the one chosen. As soon as he dove into the Sea, the Tsar took him to his Underwater Kingdom.

Everyday, Sadko would play his Gusly to please him and the Tsar danced with such joy that the Seas would sway in constant Tempest. The Sailors were desperate and prayed to Saint Nicolas, the protector of Seamen, to put an end to this turmoil.

Saint Nicolas heard their pleads and appeared to Sadko asking him to cut the strings of his beloved Gusly.

In exchange, he would help him escape. He told him that the Tsar was soon to present him with 300 maidens and advised him to pick the last one and not come into physical Union with her on the night of their wedding.

Having learned from his past mistake of Greed, Sadko did as he was told and the next day woke up back in his house next to his Earthly wife.

It is believed that at times he still plays for the Tsar,

who dances Ecstatic, carving marvellous motion on the Waves.







🎨: Ilya Repin - Sadko in the Underwater Kingdom {1876}

Deep into the forest they went to listen in Silence the flow of the River and the trembling of Leaves.

Oh darling, can you hear the motion of Life and the whispers of Breath?

- by TheMuse&TheMyth



🎨: Albert Bierstad - Giant Redwood Trees of California {1874}

Tread carefully
& make a Wish
on a Full Moon ~



🎨 : Josef Thoma - Anstieg in einer Mondnacht {1899}

🙏

And the Angel looked down
upon us in dismay ~



🎨 Abbott Thayer - Stevenson Memorial {1903}

When the Lamb
opened the second seal,
I heard the second living creature say, "Come!"

Then another horse came out, a fiery Red one.
Its rider was given power to take Peace
from the Earth and to make Men
slay each other.

To him was given a large sword.

- Revelation 6:3-4, by John



🖼 : John Martin -Pandemonium {1841}

Some say you shouldn't fly too close to the Sun,
but a Moment in the Light is worth a dozen Lives.

Aware of the Shadows that melt our Wings,
we won't stop reaching for the Highest Skies ~

*Under your beautiful Wings. Miss you, Brother.



🖼: Alfred Schwarzschild -Icarus has Fallen {1920}

The Liberating Bliss of Childish Acts and Carefreeness.

" We could be Heroes just for one day. "
David Bowie



🖼: Pieter Bruegel the Elder - Children's Games {1560}