Ancient Greece

Europa Art: Valentin Serov, The Rape of Europa, 1910, The State Tretyakov Gallery, Moskva, Russia. Literature

How Europe Got Its Name — The Myth of Europa in Art

Have you ever wondered where the name of the continent Europe comes from? Meet Europa, a Phoenician woman who became the inspiration for the name of...

Magda Michalska 9 May 2023

Ancient Greece

Three Unique Portrayals of Europa’s Abduction Myth

The mesmerizing realm of Greek mythology is one of the greatest sources for artists to exhibit their technical brilliance and unique interpretations.

Erol Degirmenci 9 May 2023

Painting

A Tale of Revenge and Justice: The Oresteia in Paintings

Marcus Aurelius, the last of the five good Roman emperors once wrote: “The best way to avenge yourself is not to become as they are” (Meditations...

Erol Degirmenci 3 April 2023

Bizarre

The Curious Lure and Strange Beauty of Ancient Anatomical Votives

Eerie, mysterious, and fascinating, ancient anatomical votives represent literal parts of people’s past. When most people think of a votive object,...

Marga Patterson 3 April 2023

Ancient Greece

Alexander the Great and His Mermaid Sister in Greek Folklore

There is no need for a long introduction to Alexander the Great’s place in history; he is one of the most famous military leaders and he has...

Errika Gerakiti 29 March 2023

Renaissance

Masterpiece Story: The Calumny of Apelles by Sandro Botticelli

Botticelli’s final painting with a mythological subject is based on a lost painting by an ancient Greek painter Apelles. He ventured to...

Magda Michalska 18 March 2023

Ancient Greece

Persephone and the Pomegranate: Art in Ancient Greece

How has a simple, yet beautiful fruit, been the center of attention throughout history? The pomegranate is symbolic in many cultures and religions,...

Rachel Witte 11 March 2023

Zeus' lovers:Dosso Dossi, Jupiter and Semele, 1520s, private collection. Wikimedia Commons (public domain). Ancient Art

Top 5 Zeus’ Lovers and Their Crazy Stories

The Almighty Zeus was the god of skies and thunders in the ancient Greek mythology, who ruled as the king of the gods of Mount Olympus. His name is...

Zuzanna Stańska 11 March 2023

Joseph Benoît Suvée, Invention of the Art of Drawing, 1791, Groeningemuseum, Bruges, Belgium. Ancient Greece

Unveiling the Mythical Origins of Painting: The Tale of Dibutades, the Maid of Corinth

Long ago in the city of Corinth in Ancient Greece, a young maid traced the contour of her lover’s face on the wall. The man was leaving on a long...

Jimena Escoto 8 March 2023

Fashion

Medusa Jewelry That Had the Power to Petrify

Since ancient times jewelry hasn’t only been a fashion detail or simple ornament, but a status symbol with a variety of meanings. On it, among...

Ana Djoric 9 February 2023

Ancient Greece

Six Ancient Greek Sculptures Everyone Should Know

Greek sculptures have had a profound effect on art throughout the ages. Many of the styles have been reproduced and copied by some of, what...

Zuzanna Stańska 30 December 2022

Group of three figurines, Early Cycladic II, early spedos type, museum number K9, Badisches Landesmuseum, Karlsruhe, Germany. Detail. Ancient Art

Demystifying Cycladic Figurines

Cycladic figurines have a mythical aura. Their gleaming abstract forms speak of timeless beauty. But what actually are they? Why do they look like a...

Isla Phillips-Ewen 14 October 2022