Cameo - Aphrodite Gone Astray
Cameo- Aphrodite Gone Astray. We know a lot about Aphrodite, not only from the works of the Greek poets such as Homer or Hesiod, but also from fine arts presented her life, her erotic charisma and her function as a goddess of beauty and love. Her influence on artists from the antiquity until today can only be compared with the biggest pop-stars from modern showbiz.
It is no wonder that she, the most beautiful of all women, inspired in particular painters and sculptors to create their masterpieces. Especially in the renaissance and baroque arts Aphrodite and erotic relations to gods, demigods and men was one of the most popular topics in all disciplines of the fine art.
Cameo Aphrodite Gone Astray,-inspiration for this Cameo came from various paintings, wall and panel paintings and the specific characteristics of the chosen stone itself such as the cavity of the bowl to finally create a masterwork of cameo engraving using the antique motif.
Of course, beautiful Aphrodite is the main character and element of this representation and her voluptuous body is in the center of the attraction. She dominates the piece and reduces all the other creatures surrounding her to supporting elements underlining her position as goddess of love and beauty. She rides on an iconographically curious chimera across the sea, probably to go to Kythera, the island of love. Actually, the standard “vessel” for such a voyage would be a shell pulled by dolphins accompanied by Poseidon and his helpers, Triton and the Nereid. But here we see an interesting variation of the traditional representation. Aphrodite bestrides a strange sea horse crossing the sea, the front part is a Triton playing music accompanied by a Nereid carrying a wine or crème pot. The strange vessel is equipped with a sail held by two cupids behind Aphrodite. Two gods of the winds, hovering on the left and right of the scenery on some small clouds, blow into the sail. Thus, the interesting vessel can swiftly make its way to the island of love. Another Putto sits on the tail of the seahorse and plays music to accompany the voyage and his “colleague” swims ahead of the vessel to point the way.
Only the rather serious facial expression of the seahorse-Triton playing the lyre does not really fit into the joyful erotically charged scenery.
Whether the engraver wanted to refer to Hephaestus, beautiful Aphrodite’s cuckold husband, or not, who knows. Truth very much as beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.
Agate bowl “ANADYOMENE, OR APHRODITE GONE ASTRAY...: “
Materials:
Brown-white,270 mm high x 265 mm wide
Note: This engraved agate bowl is one of the largest in the world
Cameo- Aphrodite Gone Astray. We know a lot about Aphrodite, not only from the works of the Greek poets such as Homer or Hesiod, but also from fine arts presented her life, her erotic charisma and her function as a goddess of beauty and love. Her influence on artists from the antiquity until today can only be compared with the biggest pop-stars from modern showbiz.
It is no wonder that she, the most beautiful of all women, inspired in particular painters and sculptors to create their masterpieces. Especially in the renaissance and baroque arts Aphrodite and erotic relations to gods, demigods and men was one of the most popular topics in all disciplines of the fine art.
Cameo Aphrodite Gone Astray,-inspiration for this Cameo came from various paintings, wall and panel paintings and the specific characteristics of the chosen stone itself such as the cavity of the bowl to finally create a masterwork of cameo engraving using the antique motif.
Of course, beautiful Aphrodite is the main character and element of this representation and her voluptuous body is in the center of the attraction. She dominates the piece and reduces all the other creatures surrounding her to supporting elements underlining her position as goddess of love and beauty. She rides on an iconographically curious chimera across the sea, probably to go to Kythera, the island of love. Actually, the standard “vessel” for such a voyage would be a shell pulled by dolphins accompanied by Poseidon and his helpers, Triton and the Nereid. But here we see an interesting variation of the traditional representation. Aphrodite bestrides a strange sea horse crossing the sea, the front part is a Triton playing music accompanied by a Nereid carrying a wine or crème pot. The strange vessel is equipped with a sail held by two cupids behind Aphrodite. Two gods of the winds, hovering on the left and right of the scenery on some small clouds, blow into the sail. Thus, the interesting vessel can swiftly make its way to the island of love. Another Putto sits on the tail of the seahorse and plays music to accompany the voyage and his “colleague” swims ahead of the vessel to point the way.
Only the rather serious facial expression of the seahorse-Triton playing the lyre does not really fit into the joyful erotically charged scenery.
Whether the engraver wanted to refer to Hephaestus, beautiful Aphrodite’s cuckold husband, or not, who knows. Truth very much as beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.
Agate bowl “ANADYOMENE, OR APHRODITE GONE ASTRAY...: “
Materials:
Brown-white,270 mm high x 265 mm wide
Note: This engraved agate bowl is one of the largest in the world
Cameo- Aphrodite Gone Astray. We know a lot about Aphrodite, not only from the works of the Greek poets such as Homer or Hesiod, but also from fine arts presented her life, her erotic charisma and her function as a goddess of beauty and love. Her influence on artists from the antiquity until today can only be compared with the biggest pop-stars from modern showbiz.
It is no wonder that she, the most beautiful of all women, inspired in particular painters and sculptors to create their masterpieces. Especially in the renaissance and baroque arts Aphrodite and erotic relations to gods, demigods and men was one of the most popular topics in all disciplines of the fine art.
Cameo Aphrodite Gone Astray,-inspiration for this Cameo came from various paintings, wall and panel paintings and the specific characteristics of the chosen stone itself such as the cavity of the bowl to finally create a masterwork of cameo engraving using the antique motif.
Of course, beautiful Aphrodite is the main character and element of this representation and her voluptuous body is in the center of the attraction. She dominates the piece and reduces all the other creatures surrounding her to supporting elements underlining her position as goddess of love and beauty. She rides on an iconographically curious chimera across the sea, probably to go to Kythera, the island of love. Actually, the standard “vessel” for such a voyage would be a shell pulled by dolphins accompanied by Poseidon and his helpers, Triton and the Nereid. But here we see an interesting variation of the traditional representation. Aphrodite bestrides a strange sea horse crossing the sea, the front part is a Triton playing music accompanied by a Nereid carrying a wine or crème pot. The strange vessel is equipped with a sail held by two cupids behind Aphrodite. Two gods of the winds, hovering on the left and right of the scenery on some small clouds, blow into the sail. Thus, the interesting vessel can swiftly make its way to the island of love. Another Putto sits on the tail of the seahorse and plays music to accompany the voyage and his “colleague” swims ahead of the vessel to point the way.
Only the rather serious facial expression of the seahorse-Triton playing the lyre does not really fit into the joyful erotically charged scenery.
Whether the engraver wanted to refer to Hephaestus, beautiful Aphrodite’s cuckold husband, or not, who knows. Truth very much as beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.
Agate bowl “ANADYOMENE, OR APHRODITE GONE ASTRAY...: “
Materials:
Brown-white,270 mm high x 265 mm wide
Note: This engraved agate bowl is one of the largest in the world