Heroes of Greek Mythology (part 2), Paintings

2. The term "hero" is perhaps overused today, but these guys were the originals.
The mythology of ancient Greece was filled with great heroes who slew monsters, battled
whole armies, and loved (and lost) beautiful women.
The full stories often reveal Hercules, Achilles, Perseus and others to be imperfect
characters ... but their names have lived on for millennia.

4. Art in Detail
Heroes of Greek Mythology
(Paintings)
part 2

5. ODYSSEUS
His reputation for being one of the craftiest heroes is well-earned.
We highly recommend you go down to Elysium, the city of the blessed dead, and have a chat with him.
He's one of the most famous Greek heroes of all time, and he definitely has stories to tell.

6. WATERHOUSE, John William
Ulysses and the Sirens
1891
Oil on canvas, 100.6 × 202 cm
National Gallery of Victoria,
Melbourne

7. THE SIRENS
Come this way, honored Odysseus, so that you can listen here to our singing.
ODYSSEUS
These lovely and super sexy ladies could really sing, but I don't think I'm going to invite them over anytime soon.

9. LAIRESSE, Gérard de
Mercury Ordering Calypso to
Release Odysseus
1680
Oil on canvas, 125 x 94 cm
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

10. CALYPSO
I still miss you, Odysseus.
PENELOPE
Back off my man, you tart.
CALYPSO
He always thought I was the most beautiful woman he'd been with. He told me so. Didn't you, Odysseus?
ODYSSEUS
Ladies... ladies... can we not have this discussion ?
CIRCE
I should've turned you into a pig and had a barbecue.

12. ORPHEUS
Orpheus only plays concerts down in the Underworld these days.
You might have to wait in a long line of adoring fans to get his autograph.
Imagine you? ... the autograph of the first rock star, of a hero who drowned out the Sirens with his amazing music !

13. BRUEGHEL, Jan the Elder
Orpheus in the Underworld
1594
Oil on copper, 27 x 36 cm
Galleria Palatina (Palazzo Pitti),
Florence

14. ORPHEUS
Concert for Hades and Persephone ...
These two loved me! So much so that they let me take my Eurydice back up with me.

16. GANDOLFI, Gaetano
Orpheus and Eurydice
-
Oil on canvas, 81.5 × 62.5 cm
Private collection

17. ORPHEUS
Oops!
Yeah, I kind of screwed up this rescue.

19. PROMETHEUS
Prometheus, huh?
He got in mad trouble - Zeus chained him to a rock and had eagles eat his liver everyday.
Heracles set him free , but Prometheus still kind of sensitive about it.
That kind of thing has got to totally mess you up, right?

20. RUBENS, Peter Paul
Prometheus Bound
1610-11
Oil on canvas, 243 x 210 cm
Museum of Art, Philadelphia

21. PROMETHEUS
Why I Hate Birds?
I’m not afraid to admit it. I still get kind of freaked out when I see an eagle in the sky.

23. FÜGER, Heinrich Friedrich
Prometheus Brings Fire to
Mankind
1817
Oil on canvas, 221 x156 cm
The Princely Collections,
Liechtenstein

24. ATLAS
You stinking traitor. You even betrayed Zeus by giving humans fire.
PROMETHEUS
They needed fire. It was the right thing to do.
ATLAS
Why don't you come help me hold up the sky for a while. That'd be the right thing to do.
HERACLES
Don't trust him, buddy! He tried that trick on me.

26. AENEAS
Aeneas is bright, shiny, heroic perfection.
No wonder all the ladies—including the beautiful queen Dido—went totally nuts for him.
These days he's the most eligible bachelor on Mt. Olympus (the Roman version, at least).

27. PERRIER, François
Aeneas and his Companions
Fighting the Harpies
1646-47
Oil on canvas, 155 x 218 cm
Musée du Louvre, Paris

28. AENEAS
I left my golden apple pie on the windowsill and now it's gone. I suspect a Harpy.
HARRIET THE HARPY
How dare you, sir!
AENEAS
My Favorite Sport... Harpy hunting.

30. POUSSIN, Nicolas
Venus Presenting Arms to
Aeneas
1639
Oil on canvas, 105 x 142 cm
Musée des Beaux-Arts, Rouen

31. AENEAS
My Crazy Mom, Aphrodite ...
I love her, but sometimes it's a little awkward when Mom walks around half naked in front of my friends.

33. THESEUS
To chill with this famous slayer of the Minotaur, you'll have to head down to the Land of the Dead, more
specifically, the Elysian Islands.
Theseus is probably down there drinking margaritas with Jason, Perseus, Achilles, and all his other Greek bros.

34. MASTER of the Cassoni
Campana
Ariadne in Naxos
1510s
Oil on poplar panel, 69 x 155 cm
Musée du Petit Palais, Avignon

35. MINOTAUR
Mom, you just let your husband lock me up in a Labyrinth.
PASIPHAE
Hey, you ate the nanny. What was I supposed to do?
ARIADNE
She did love you. She cried every night.
MINOTAUR
Oh, yeah? Did you cry when you helped Theseus kill me? I'm glad he ditched you on that island. I wish you'd died there.

37. MASTER of the Cassoni
Campana
Theseus and the Minotaur
1510s
Oil on poplar panel, 69 x 155 cm
Musée du Petit Palais, Avignon

38. MINOTAUR
Why'd you do it, Theseus? So sick of being called a monster.
THESEUS
Um, you ate people.
HYDRA
Hissssss!
MINOTAUR
All these heroes are just as brutal as we are.

40. MINOTAUR
Theseus murdered me in my own home, for crying out loud.
MEDUSA
Perseus snuck in my cave while I was asleep and chopped off my head.
MINOTAUR
Maybe us "monsters" ought to get together and teach these heroes some manners.
HADES
YOU'RE ALL DEAD! Calm down. This is my underworld and it's going to stay peaceful. Or else!

41. Art in Detail_ Heroes of Greek Mythology part 2
(Paintings)
images and text credit www.
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