Mena paintings and inspiration @menapaintings - Tumblr Blog

oldpaintings

Desolate at the Loss of her Lover, 1850 by Giuseppe Molteni (Italian, 1800–1867)

fordarkmornings

Alphonse Eugène Félix Lecadre (French, 1842-1875)

The Sleep, 1872

marejadilla

Robert Duxbury, "Numantia", 2024, oil painting. Robert Duxbury is a predominantly self taught artists based in Melbourne Australia.

pmamtraveller

FERDINAND MAX BREDT - SIRENS, 1902

In Greek mythology, sirens are commonly portrayed as captivating beings with the head of an attractive woman and the body of a bird. However, aside from their looks, what really characterizes a siren is their enchanting melody, which is famous for leading sailors to their demise on dangerous cliffs. This work portrays this dualism by portraying the sirens' captivating beauty and charm, highlighting their seductive qualities while suggesting the danger they pose.

Initially seen as Persephone's companions, the creatures were turned into bird-women as punishment for failing to stop her abduction by Hades. Their influence goes beyond just their melodies; it's their ability to tap into the deepest desires of their victims, offering them what they most long for, only to lead them to their demise.

Certain critics claim that Bredt's sirens fail to capture the depth and charm typically linked to these mythological beings, indicating a lack of ability to fully illustrate the threat they pose. Moreover, there are worries that the painting could focus too much on aesthetic appeal and not fully convey the underlying story of temptation and danger present in the siren myth. These criticisms emphasize a conflict between aesthetics and storytelling in Bredt's art.

marejadilla

Denis Sarazhin, “Embodiment”, oil on canvas, 2018. Was Born in Nikopol, Ukraine in 1982.

the-evil-clergyman

The Madness of Titania by Paul Gervais (1897)

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by Robert McGinnis

the-evil-clergyman

Illustration from Les LIaisons Dangereuses by Georges Barbier (1934)

Sea Shore. Oil on canvas. 61x50 cm. Joey Mena. 2023. www.instagram.com/joeymena

#painting #oil #pirates #sea #art #artwork

the-evil-clergyman

Chimera by Jacek Malczewski (1906)

dortan-lavancia

Lajos Markos 1917–1993

adreciclarte

by Malcolm T. Liepke

marejadilla

Malcolm T Liepke, “Hand Between Legs”, oil on canvas. Show “Woman, Unveiled”, 2013. Arcadia Fine Arts NYC. Malcolm Liepke was born in 1953 and raised in Minneapolis.

pmamtraveller

THE OREADS /1902/ by WILLIAM-ADOLPHE BOUGUEREAU

The Oreads are mountain nymphs of Greek mythology, and they are closely associated with the goddess Artemis (Diana in Roman mythology). Bouguereau, in the painting, depicts the nymphs at a very ethereal moment, ascending into the air with glee after a night of frolick in nature.

The flowing forms and harmonious arrangement of the Oreads create a sense of movement and unity. Their bodies are arched and bent, with limbs extended in various directions, giving the impression of a graceful, synchronized dance, emphasizing their connection to nature and the divine.

The three satyrs look on in wonder and lust at the ascending nymphs. The artist depicts them in muscular forms with exaggerated features to express their animalistic side—the opposite of the wraithlike beauty, which is what the Oreads were meant to be. It is through this dynamic that a sense of lust is introduced into this painting.

This painting symbolizes the passage of night into dawn, hence renewal and the cyclical nature of life. The ascension of the Oreads may be a return to their celestial realm, alluding thereby to liberation. This etches out Bouguereau's feel for charging his works with deeper meanings beyond mere representation.