I think it’s pretty clear that Classical mythology greatly impacted the art of western civilization. Various art movements examined Greek Mythology including Renaissance Art (14 to 17th century), Baroque Art (1600-1750), and Romanticism (1800-1850). Sandro Botticelli’s Birth of Venus (1486) is one of the most iconic artworks of classical Greek Mythology that we still study today. It displays Venus, who is the Greek Goddess Aphrodite. It shows the wind God Zephyrus and the nymph Cloris blowing her to shore. Pomona, the Goddess of Spring, awaits with a covering for Venus. Artists from all over the world during the Renaissance were interested in reproducing Greek mythology in their art work. The Renaissance cultural movement – which reflects a rebirth of interest in classical mythology – really shows how intensely Greek mythology impacted western civilization. Greek Mythology clearly did not disappear as the 14 and 16th century art world was greatly impacted by it.
I find it really interesting that Christian art absorbed elements of Greek mythology. This clearly proves the great impact Greek Mythology had on the art of Western Civilization. A religion that one would expect to reject pagan mythology instead utilizes it to express Christian symbolism. For example, artists drew on Greek mythology as a way to represent Christ. In St. Peter’s Basilica there is a third-century wall mosaic that displays Christ as the sun god Apollo. Not only is He riding the chariot of the sun, but He also has sun rays emanating from His head. According to Walter Lowrie, Christians were even prepared to “appropriate moral lessons from classical mythology.” For example, the myth of Ulysses and the “seductive music” of the sirens was used in art to represent the misleading tunes of heretical teachings. Often the sirens would be represented as heretical teachers in Christian art. Therefore, Greek Mythology was used as a powerful vehicle to express both the symbolism as well as the moral values of Christianity.
Greek mythology also impacted later periods in art history, such as Baroque Art and Romanticism. Again, Greek Mythology continues to be actively reproduced by artists throughout history; it is not something that disappears. The Baroque artist Anthony Van Dyck’s Cupid finds the sleeping Psyche (1639-40) that is seen above is an interesting example. Although the Baroque period was concerned with drawing people back to the church through the use of biblical subjects in art, it still used Greek mythology as a powerful means of allegory. Just as Christianity drew parallels between Greek mythology and Christianity, so did the Baroque period. This painting depicts the particular moment in the myth when Cupid discovers Psyche “overcome by sleep after opening a casket” which she was told by Venus “not to open.” Venus makes Psyche fall into this sleep because she does not listen to her request. This portion contains parallels to the Genesis story, and Psyche’s role is very similar to the role of Adam in the fall of man. An example of a popular Romantic sculpture is Antonio Canova’s Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss (1757-1822). This work displays the god Cupid awakening Psyche with a kiss. This mythological sculpture is particularly important because it reflected the cultural values of the time by focusing on strong emotional dramatic expression. Just as Christianity “appropriated” Greek mythology to express their moral values, the Romantic period “appropriated” Greek mythology as a vehicle to express human emotion.
It is clear by examining these different paintings that the art of wester civilization was greatly impacted by Greek Mythology. In contemporary society, artists continue to create their own modern interpretations of Greek Mythology. For example, Terry Strickland in her painting The Bribe, presents a modern interpretation of one of the goddesses from the myth of the Judgement of Paris and the Apple of Discord. It is interesting to see modern culture’s adaptation of this myth. Just as these art periods “appropriated” mythology to express the culture of the time, it is clear that modern society has appropriated Greek Mythology to express contemporary culture.
-monica korol
Greek Mythology and Western Civilization 