The River God of Poussin

[Don Barone]

Hi all.

Inspired by this passage from the works of Gary Osborn I decided to post this here. I had already thought it might be important and designed a webpage but I think I will just post the images here.

Here is the passage by Gary:

... This first version of The Arcadian Shepherds was completed some years after Poussin settled in Rome, and there is now reason to believe that Poussin was a member of the ‘Underground Stream’ that had both preserved and encoded esoteric knowledge in many different sources throughout history. That this knowledge has been passed down through this ‘Underground Stream’ is indicated by the god Alpheus, the ‘river god’, reclining in the foreground in this painting by Poussin. Alpheus is also the name of a mythical river that flowed through the Peloponnesus in Greece and through subterranean channels from its source in Arcadia. In Renaissance symbology this river indicates an underground stream of esoteric traditions or secret knowledge. ...

So let's look for our River God in other of Poussin's paintings ...

Please click on thumbnails for larger image.






















Not sure of this one.

Full size:



Boy that took forever but at least it is done for now. I think I got them all but who knows ...

In Love and The Light
Don Barone

[Don Barone]

Hi all.

Having nothing better to do I decided to read up on the myth of Appollo and Daphne. Boy those Greeks loved there tragedies. But could there be more to all of these myths than meets the eye ? What do you think ?

Click for larger image

Appollo and Daphne as Daphne slowly changes into the Laurel Tree

From a website ...

Apollo and Daphne in Greek Mythology

Daphne was Apollo's first love. It was not brought about by accident, but by the malice of Eros. Apollo saw the boy playing with his bow and arrows; and being himself elated by his recent victory over Python, he said to him, "What have you to do with warlike weapons, saucy boy? Leave them for hands worthy of them. Behold the conquest I have won by means of them over the vast serpent who stretched his poisonous body over acres of plain! Be content with your torch, child, and kindle up your flames, as you call them, where you will, but presume not to meddle with my weapons."

Aphrodite's boy heard these words and rejoined, "Your arrows may strike all things else, Apollo, but mine shall strike you." So saying, he took his stand on a rock of Parnassus and drew from his quiver two arrows of a different workmanship, one to excite love, the other to repel it. The former was of gold and sharp pointed, the latter blunt and tipped with lead. With the leaden shaft he struck the nymph Daphne, the daughter of the river god Peneus, and with the golden one Apollo, through the heart. Forthwith the god was seized with love for the maiden, and she abhorred the thought of loving. Her delight was in woodland sports and the spoils of the chase. Many lovers sought her, but she spurned them all, ranging the woods, and taking no thought of Eros nor of Hymen. Her father often said to her, "Daughter, you owe me a son-in-law; you owe me grandchildren." She, hating the thought of marriage as a crime, with her beautiful face tinged all over with blushes, threw her arms around her father's neck and said, "Dearest father, grant me this favor, that I may always remain unmarried, like Artemis." He consented, but at the same time said, "Your own face will forbid it." ...

So flew the god and the virgin - he on the wings of love and she on those of fear. The pursuer is the more rapid, however, and gains upon her, and his panting breath blows upon her hair. Her strength begins to fail, and, ready to sink, she calls upon her father, the river god: "Help me, Peneus! Open the earth to enclose me, or change my form, which has brought me into this danger!" Scarcely had she spoken, when a stiffness seized all her limbs; her bosom began to be enclosed in a tender bark; her hair became leaves; her arms became branches; her foot stuck fast in the ground, as a root; her face became a treetop, retaining nothing of its former self but its beauty. Apollo stood amazed. He touched the stem, and felt the flesh tremble under the new bark. He embraced the branches and lavished kisses on the wood. The branches shrank from his lips. "Since you cannot be my wife," said he, "you shall assuredly be my tree. I will wear you for my crown. I will decorate you with my harp and quiver; and when the great Roman conquerors lead up the triumphal pomp to the Capitol, you shall be woven into wreaths for their brows. And, as eternal youth is mine, you also shall be always green, and your leaf know no decay." The nymph, now changed into a laurel tree, bowed its head in grateful acknowledgement.

- from Bulfinch's Mythology

Well I guess now is as good a time as any to learn The Greek Myths and keep up with my daughter who I think got B+ in second year university in them.

Cheers
Don Barone

[ghia]

Great Paintings and such.
I'll definitely be coming back to this Gallery!
Thanks!

Ghia