FAH313 - WEEK 5 - Zeus, Hera, and Gods Behaving Badly

Title: Artemision Zeus

Date: ca. 460-450 BCE

Location: Found by fishermen in the sea near Cape Artemision

Medium: sculpture (bronze)

Description of art:

• 6 ft 10 statue

• Zeus

  • thought to be Poseidon

  • but stance proves its Zeus

  • Braided hair fillet = keeps hair out of way during battle

  • right arm flung back —> holding thunderbolt

  • left arm forward for aiming

  • long beard

  • cap-like hair

• motion in body

  • looking up and out

  • left hip slightly raised

  • left foot = not completely on ground

    • blade of foot pitched = holding all the weight of body

• Shows MOMENT IN BETWEEN

  • about to throw thunderbolt

  • about to pivot back foot and twist torso —> build momentum for throw

• ARMS = too long

  • supposed to be viewed at ¾ perspective = arms look normal

Title: Barberini Hera

Date: ca. 450 BCE

Medium: sculpture

Description of art:

• Cult statue of Hera

• HERA = specific attributes

  • stephane = crown

  • sceptre = queen of the gods

  • in hand = Phiale (Patera) = fill with oil and pour out as offering to gods

  • Chiton = rectangular modest dress

  • Mantle = thicker woolen fabric thrown over chiton

• Facial attributes

  • cupids bow lip + classical mouth

  • flat forehead

  • parted hair

  • flat cheeks

  • extended + flat nose bridge

  • no emotions = stoic + calm face

  • no wrinkles

  • Venus rings = neck = well fed

  • barely covered breasts

Significance:

• Chiton + Mantle = modest, devout, and didactic

  • Queen of Gods, goddess of marriage + commitment

• Barely covered breasts = element of sensuality

  • wet-drapery look = showing shape of body

Title: The Wedding of Zeus and Hera

Date: ca. 50-79 CE

Location: House of Tragic Poet, Pompeii

Medium: Fresco

Description of art:

• either Hierogamia (sacred marriage) or Dios Apate (Deception of Zeus)

• most likley marriage

  • occured on Mount Aida

• Music

  • Cymbals

  • Tympanon = Greek tambourine

  • Aulos Flutes

• Zeus sitting on his throne

  • face is missing

  • beard + leafy crown = king of gods + victor

  • lounging

  • holding scepter

  • wearing purple mantle = rare + expensive dye

    • purple dye from murex snail = tyrian purple

• Hera

  • stephane = crown

  • jewellry (earrings, necklace, bracelets)

  • Chiton + mantle = beige/yellow colour (from saffron)

  • Anakalypteria = The Formal Unveiling

    • metaphor = consummating marriage

  • arm held by zeus

  • Boopis = Cow-eyed Hera

    • dramatic irony = looking at observer

• Isis or Hypnos

  • Isis = marriage scene

  • Hypnos = Deception scene

Significance:

• Zeus holding Hera

• Hand-on-wrist = cheir’ epi karpo

  • ancient greek wedding ceremony = man leading wife back home by the wrist

• central part of fresco

Title: Europa and the Bull Fresco

Date: ca. 30 CE

Location: House of Jason, Pompeii

Medium: fresco

Description of art: MOSCHUS EUROPA

• Europa sitting on bull

• bull = Zeus

• no meadow —> more urban setting

• 3 companions near bull

  • one of them stand in = kissing action to bull that Europa does in Text

• Bull = Coy-eyed = Boopis

  • Observer aware of Zeus’ scheme

• Europa

  • like bride on wedding day - euphemisitic

  • wearing jewelry

  • showing herself to her husband —> formal unveiling

• Pregnant moment/ moment in-between

  • before zeus flies away with Europa

Title: Europa and the Bull Calyx-Krater

Date: ca. 340 BCE

Medium: red figure calyx-krater

Artist: Asteas

Description of art:

• nucleus = Europa on Bull’s back

  • Zeus flying with Europa over sea to Crete

  • on belly of vase

• Informants

  • Skylla, Triton, Pothos

    • Pothos = sprinkles desire on people = creates yearning

    • causes Zeus to yearn for Europa

• Index figures

  • separated by visible boundary

  • spectators of nucleus

  • i.e agreeing with actions of Zeus = cosmically sanctioned scene/action

  • top right = Eros, Adonis, Aphrodite

  • top left = Zeus, Crete (personified), Hermes (holding Caduceus, his staff)

• Europa

  • billowing textile = wind = flying fast

  • also doubles as veil for unveiling (“wedding scene”)

• Inscription:

  • Assteas Egraphe (Asteas Painted [This])

Significance: MOSCHUS EUROPA

• Skylla + Triton = let us know events happening above water

• Zeus + Europa = Minos

• Skylla = falls in love with their son Minos —> becomes king of Crete

Title: Zeus and Ganymede Mosaic

Date: ca. 150 CE

Location: House of Vergil in ancient Hadrentum (Sousse, Tunisia)

Medium: Mosaic

Description of art:

• Zeus found Ganymede beautiful

• Ganymede = his cup bearer

  • younger

  • softer thighs, belly

  • no musculature

  • Trojan prince

    • phrygian cap

    • sheperd’s crook

    • chlamys

• Zeus as an eagle = attribute

  • behind Ganymede

  • a tergo sex = “sex from behind”

    • idealizes acts of sexual violence

• Composition = Rondel

  • encloses both characters

  • leads to chiastic disposition of bodies (X-shaped)

• Significance:

  • God at the back, young person at front

  • dichotomy

    • active sexual assaulter = Zeus (Active + hard)

    • passive receiver = Ganymede (passive + soft)

  • Other rondels involved in Mosaic

  • predator + prey rondels = euphemism

    • erotic pursuit

  • On left = predators (lion, panther, tiger)

  • On right = prey (stag, gazelle, antelope)

Title: Zeus and Ganymede Bell-Krater

Date: ca. 500 BCE

Location: Attica

Medium: Red-figure bell-krater

Description of art:

• SIDE A:

  • Zeus

  • leaf crown

  • scepter

  • beard

  • right arm reaching out for Ganymede on other side

  • Erastes = older = the lover

• SIDE B:

  • Ganymede playing hoop and stick

  • innocent image

  • younger = clean shaven

  • long hair = feminine representation

  • leaf crown

  • fully nude

  • missing attributes = instead seen in erotic pursuit

  • holding rooster in left hand = pederastic courtship gift

Significance:

• Pederastic relationship = between older man and younger man

  • for education + sexual purposes

• Older man pursuing young boy minding his business

• sexual innuendo = sceptre + hoop

• separation of figures on both sides = suspense

  • active pursuer + active pursued

  • Ganymede = active = looking back at Zeus (interest shown)

  • not giving in quickly = humble

• Erotic pursuit = simile for pederasty

• Zeus not disguised

• Pederasty was considered beneficial relationship and was encouraged

• art = for male viewers = to keep this idea/institution going