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Cam's Camera: Mythology

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I can't help, I'm afraid, as I was careless enougn to lose the reference. If someone can help identify the young lady I'll be glad and thankful :)

The urn - original or copy, again I cannot say - actually depicts in a somewhat stylized fashion the episode of Danae's "seduction" by Zeus.

That is pure luck, but thanks again for your supportive comment Bob :)
The 'urn' is actually a calyx crater, of rather Late Classical style (I'd go for 5th cent. BC, but I'm no expert in this modern stuff). Since these pots were used to mix wine and water (this is another proof the Greekes were true barbarians) during the symposium it should actually be quite a bit bigger.
Young ladies (as long as they were no hetairai, which naturally is impossible for a king's daughter) should only get into contact with these vessels when they are washing the dishes.
The vase depicting the myth that is the subject of the picture is a wonderful detail and cetainly there is a nice 'meta-something' word for this in art history.

It is rather interesting that we are so much used to imagine these mythological scenes in a setting that depicts a time when these mythlogical stories themselves were alredy centuries and centuries old.
If there actually was some kind of 'historical root' in these stories, they took place in a completely different environment (the thick walls of the chamber would actually fit nicely to Mycenaean palaces, which had *alas* not towers).
But this was done already by the ancient Greeks as well, who had very little (if any) real knowledge of their ancient history. So they just used props, fashions and garments they were used to.

The same again happened much later in Europe, that is why poor King Arthur always has to stumble around in 13th cent. tournament armour (with the glorious excetpion of 'King Arthur' by Fuqua, that had Keira in it and by this alone would be above all criticism).

Ah ... were did we start?

Forget all of this nonsense abbove!
Great pic, Kam! :)
 
It's nice to see Danae actually enjoying the experience and being active in bed, not just lying back and thinking of Argos (the country, not the shop, though come to think of it, it's an interesting way of on-line payment, Jupiter using his gold card?)
 
The 'urn' is actually a calyx crater, of rather Late Classical style (I'd go for 5th cent. BC, but I'm no expert in this modern stuff). Since these pots were used to mix wine and water (this is another proof the Greekes were true barbarians) during the symposium it should actually be quite a bit bigger.
Young ladies (as long as they were no hetairai, which naturally is impossible for a king's daughter) should only get into contact with these vessels when they are washing the dishes.
The vase depicting the myth that is the subject of the picture is a wonderful detail and cetainly there is a nice 'meta-something' word for this in art history.

It is rather interesting that we are so much used to imagine these mythological scenes in a setting that depicts a time when these mythlogical stories themselves were alredy centuries and centuries old.
If there actually was some kind of 'historical root' in these stories, they took place in a completely different environment (the thick walls of the chamber would actually fit nicely to Mycenaean palaces, which had *alas* not towers).
But this was done already by the ancient Greeks as well, who had very little (if any) real knowledge of their ancient history. So they just used props, fashions and garments they were used to.

The same again happened much later in Europe, that is why poor King Arthur always has to stumble around in 13th cent. tournament armour (with the glorious excetpion of 'King Arthur' by Fuqua, that had Keira in it and by this alone would be above all criticism).

Ah ... were did we start?

Forget all of this nonsense abbove!
Great pic, Kam! :)
Thanks for putting things back into perspective Zungur. Of course despite the claims to "realism" and "accuracy" this is only fantasy :)
 
callisto.jpg

Nymph Callisto was one of Artemis' attendants. As such she was to remain a virgin, whatever the circumstances.
However Zeus had his eyes on her, of course, and he chose to approach her in the guise of Artemis to deceive her. After he'd managed to seduce her on the banks of Eurotas he raped her - presumably in his male shape.
Eight months later an angry Artemis found out that the nymph was pregnant. She punished her by turning her into a bear. Frolicking with other girls or nymphs was alright, but losing your virginity, even with Zeus, was a no-no.

In this scene I have taken some liberty with the myth for greater dramatic effect, as Artemis is not supposed to witness the encounter between Zeus and Callisto, but is to find out only months later. Here I have imagined that she stumbles upon the pair but does not recognize herself, nor suspect Zeus, in the girl lying close to her nymph, and sees no harm in this tender scene.
 
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callisto.jpg

Nymph Callisto was one of Artemis' attendants. As such she was to remain a virgin, whatever the circumstances.
However Zeus had his eyes on her, of course, and he chose to approach her in the guise of Artemis to deceive her. After he'd managed to seduce her on the banks of Eurotas he raped her - presumably in his male shape.
Eight months later an angry Artemis found out that the nymph was pregnant. She punished her by turning her into a bear. Frolicking with other girls or nymphs was alright, but losing your virginity, even with Zeus, was a no-no.

In this scene I have taken some liberty with the myth for greater dramatic effect, as Artemis is not supposed to witness the encounter between Zeus and Callisto, but is to find out only months later. Here I have imagined that she stumbles upon the pair but does not recognize herself, nor suspect Zeus, in the girl lying close to her nymph, and sees no harm in this tender scene.
This is a very neat reinterpretation of the original story, which, confusingly, exists in several different versions. Traditionally, painters and their patrons have been attracted by the variation portraying the lesbian seduction which we see in Kam's attractive composition. Having the moment witnessed accidentally by Artemis adds a new dimension and a little tension. But in common with the other variations, poor Callisto will end up being the innocent victim.

The background is an image depicting the scene of an incident at Akwa Ibom in Nigeria. The original landscape provides little information in terms of scale and lighting for the inserted figures. Nevertheless, the result appears convincing. The main characters are illuminated by direct sunlight coming from the upper left, in a close approximation of the overhead lighting of the landscape. New shadows have been added to the sand and the water below Callisto's toes.

The mutual proximity of the main figures, with their combined shadows and traces of water on their legs, suggests that they have been selected as a pair from the source image. The intimate posing lends itself perfectly to the theme of the picture. The deep red flower seems to have been added to the disguised Zeus' hand to create a charming gesture as part of the seduction ritual. I will leave the identification to our forum botanists, but in technical terms, apart from making sense of the pose, this central, red highlight provides a vibrant compliment to the deep green areas which dominate the upper half of the picture.

Further separately applied components include the discarded clothing, the stag, Artemis, her bow and the eagle. Close attention to detail in colour balancing, contrast and saturation adjustments have ensured a high degree of realism in the blending process. The blades of grass concealing Artemis and the stag have required careful applications of the background eraser to provide convincing cover, which is particularly effective in the case of Artemis. She bears some resemblance to Katya Clover, but I will leave positive identification of all three characters to the artist. Well done, Kam! :)
 
This is a very neat reinterpretation of the original story, which, confusingly, exists in several different versions. Traditionally, painters and their patrons have been attracted by the variation portraying the lesbian seduction which we see in Kam's attractive composition. Having the moment witnessed accidentally by Artemis adds a new dimension and a little tension. But in common with the other variations, poor Callisto will end up being the innocent victim.

The background is an image depicting the scene of an incident at Akwa Ibom in Nigeria. The original landscape provides little information in terms of scale and lighting for the inserted figures. Nevertheless, the result appears convincing. The main characters are illuminated by direct sunlight coming from the upper left, in a close approximation of the overhead lighting of the landscape. New shadows have been added to the sand and the water below Callisto's toes.

The mutual proximity of the main figures, with their combined shadows and traces of water on their legs, suggests that they have been selected as a pair from the source image. The intimate posing lends itself perfectly to the theme of the picture. The deep red flower seems to have been added to the disguised Zeus' hand to create a charming gesture as part of the seduction ritual. I will leave the identification to our forum botanists, but in technical terms, apart from making sense of the pose, this central, red highlight provides a vibrant compliment to the deep green areas which dominate the upper half of the picture.

Further separately applied components include the discarded clothing, the stag, Artemis, her bow and the eagle. Close attention to detail in colour balancing, contrast and saturation adjustments have ensured a high degree of realism in the blending process. The blades of grass concealing Artemis and the stag have required careful applications of the background eraser to provide convincing cover, which is particularly effective in the case of Artemis. She bears some resemblance to Katya Clover, but I will leave positive identification of all three characters to the artist. Well done, Kam! :)
Thanks again for taking the time for a detailed and benevolent look at my picture ! :)
You are right as to the couple, found on the web in the very same pose as they are seen in here. Unfortunately there was no identification of the models. Posing as Artemis is Altea (aka Altea B, Aneta, Antea).
The stag, eagle and "red flower" are all associated with either of the two deities present in the scene.
I've noticed after uploading that the grass in front of the stag needs some smoothing - an oversight - but I'm not sure how to erase and reload the picture, if that is possible at all.
 
View attachment 946323

Nymph Callisto was one of Artemis' attendants. As such she was to remain a virgin, whatever the circumstances.
However Zeus had his eyes on her, of course, and he chose to approach her in the guise of Artemis to deceive her. After he'd managed to seduce her on the banks of Eurotas he raped her - presumably in his male shape.
Eight months later an angry Artemis found out that the nymph was pregnant. She punished her by turning her into a bear. Frolicking with other girls or nymphs was alright, but losing your virginity, even with Zeus, was a no-no.

In this scene I have taken some liberty with the myth for greater dramatic effect, as Artemis is not supposed to witness the encounter between Zeus and Callisto, but is to find out only months later. Here I have imagined that she stumbles upon the pair but does not recognize herself, nor suspect Zeus, in the girl lying close to her nymph, and sees no harm in this tender scene.
A wonderful addition to your mythology series, Kam. Good thing that Artemis lived and worked in ancient Greece, because nowadays this injustice she did to poor Callisto would likely spell the end of her public career. Zeus would probably be impeached and end up killing himself in jail--if he could. Callisto should turn out OK; bears are an endangered and protected species, aren't they?

I like your version of the myth better, too. In this scenario, though, the beginning of the end might happen a little differently--and much faster. What if Callisto would approach Artemis the day after, give her a sly smile and a nudge with an elbow, and say with a wink: "Yo, goddess! About that thing yesterday...can we do it again?"

I also have to wonder: What if Artemis was more of the jealous type (there is no shortage of jealousy among the Greek gods and goddesses, for sure) and shot Zeus full of arrows as soon as she stumbled upon the scene?
 
A wonderful addition to your mythology series, Kam. Good thing that Artemis lived and worked in ancient Greece, because nowadays this injustice she did to poor Callisto would likely spell the end of her public career. Zeus would probably be impeached and end up killing himself in jail--if he could. Callisto should turn out OK; bears are an endangered and protected species, aren't they?

I like your version of the myth better, too. In this scenario, though, the beginning of the end might happen a little differently--and much faster. What if Callisto would approach Artemis the day after, give her a sly smile and a nudge with an elbow, and say with a wink: "Yo, goddess! About that thing yesterday...can we do it again?"

I also have to wonder: What if Artemis was more of the jealous type (there is no shortage of jealousy among the Greek gods and goddesses, for sure) and shot Zeus full of arrows as soon as she stumbled upon the scene?
There are some brilliant ideas.
Maybe I should start a poll about which mythological story to correct next, once 'Andromeda' is finished.
Ever thought about, why Callisto was turned into a bear of all things? Maybe a beaver would have been clearer, but I thing there were no beavers in Early Iron Age Greeece ...
 
There are some brilliant ideas.
Maybe I should start a poll about which mythological story to correct next, once 'Andromeda' is finished.
Ever thought about, why Callisto was turned into a bear of all things? Maybe a beaver would have been clearer, but I thing there were no beavers in Early Iron Age Greeece ...
I'd go for Iphigenia. The ultimate sacrifice on a cross would certainly enhance her virtue and dedication to the cause, whatever that might be, and it is probably a spirit that many of the wonderful ladies in this forum can readily identify with.

Years ago in my more literate days, I once wrote a little story along that line. It's probably still buried under a two-decade deposit of dust somewhere at the Crux Foundation.
 
I'd go for Iphigenia. The ultimate sacrifice on a cross would certainly enhance her virtue and dedication to the cause, whatever that might be, and it is probably a spirit that many of the wonderful ladies in this forum can readily identify with.

Years ago in my more literate days, I once wrote a little story along that line. It's probably still buried under a two-decade deposit of dust somewhere at the Crux Foundation.
I would love to read this story.
And I can see how it would be fitting to this forum.
But I still miss an idea for a typical Zungurian twist. Except a very pleased Patroklos, sneering in Achilles arms at this stupid little bitch who really believed Achilles might be interested in her I still can't think ... oh wait :)
 
There are some brilliant ideas.
Maybe I should start a poll about which mythological story to correct next, once 'Andromeda' is finished.
Ever thought about, why Callisto was turned into a bear of all things? Maybe a beaver would have been clearer, but I thing there were no beavers in Early Iron Age Greeece ...
It's a very intriguing topic. The legend, as told by Ovid and others, must be linked with the rites of Artemis at Brauron, a very important centre for women's religious observances in ancient Greece, and especially to a ritual in which young girls, at various points in childhood and adolescence, took on the role of 'little bears'. It was evidently a kind of rite (or series of rites) of passage from childhood to womanhood. Perhaps too much 'under age' for discussion on the Forums, but there's a good article here bringing together the evidence from the Greek authors, art and artefacts, and recent archaeological findings at Brauron:


I'd go for Iphigenia. The ultimate sacrifice on a cross would certainly enhance her virtue and dedication to the cause, whatever that might be, and it is probably a spirit that many of the wonderful ladies in this forum can readily identify with.

Years ago in my more literate days, I once wrote a little story along that line. It's probably still buried under a two-decade deposit of dust somewhere at the Crux Foundation.
Iphigenia was a priestess of Artemis, and her legend has links with Brauron too - see the article I've just linked.
 
It's a very intriguing topic. The legend, as told by Ovid and others, must be linked with the rites of Artemis at Brauron, a very important centre for women's religious observances in ancient Greece, and especially to a ritual in which young girls, at various points in childhood and adolescence, took on the role of 'little bears'. It was evidently a kind of rite (or series of rites) of passage from childhood to womanhood. Perhaps too much 'under age' for discussion on the Forums, but there's a good article here bringing together the evidence from the Greek authors, art and artefacts, and recent archaeological findings at Brauron:



Iphigenia was a priestess of Artemis, and her legend has links with Brauron too - see the article I've just linked.
Wikipedia has an interesting article on the cult of Artemis at Brauron, from whih I quote this passage :
There is evidence that during the 5th century the festival at Brauron was celebrated every 4 years, earlier on it may have been an annual event. There is evidence to indicate that the site at Brauron was flourishing as far back as the Neolithic and Mycenaen periods. During the festival young girls, and it seems that on occasion young boys, would gather to celebrate Artemis, the Great-she-bear. They did this by assuming the image of bears themselves and performing certain rituals. Vases depict images of races and dancing to honor the goddess. The dance, also called the "arkteia", was made up of slow, solemn steps meant to imitate the movements of a bear and was performed to a tune from a diaulos (double flute). The young girls also carried baskets of figs. Little is known about exactly what each stage of the ritual actually meant, but it is understood that they each symbolized a gesture of devotion to Artemis in return for her protection over the young and guidance on their way to maturity. Early on the participants wore actual bear skins, but by the 5th century bears had become scarce. The skins were substituted with Krokoton. These short, saffron-yellow chiton dresses were meant to symbolize the bear skins and were "shed" during the final ritual to symbolize the participant's maturation.
And :
French historian Pierre Vidal-Naquet said of the cult practices, "The myth is not difficult to explain: in exchange for the very advance of culture implied by the killing of wild animals, an advance for which men are responsible, the girls are obliged before marriage - indeed before puberty - to undergo a period of ritual 'wildness'."
 
Thanks to Bobinder for reviving my interest in Ryonen, whom I had met before but never invited into one of my pictures, as far as I know. And more thanks to him for suggesting a head transplant and showing the way for a new illustration of the myth of Andromeda .

Andromeda II.jpg
The same scene with Bob's surgical job : Andromeda II (model by Bobinder).jpg
 
Thanks to Bobinder for reviving my interest in Ryonen, whom I had met before but never invited into one of my pictures, as far as I know. And more thanks to him for suggesting a head transplant and showing the way for a new illustration of the myth of Andromeda .

Andromeda II.jpg
The same scene with Bob's surgical job : Andromeda II (model by Bobinder).jpg
Thanks for the credit, Kam - and this is very nice work on your part. It sounds as though we have both had Ryonen on our waiting lists for some time, and now she has finally appeared in our manips! Thanks also for presenting both versions of the picture.

To clarify, each of these manips employs a composite figure of Ryonen, since neither has the original head. However, both versions employ genuine Ryonen heads, sourced from alternative pictures within the same series. The original source image by Petter Hegre shows the model facing the camera -

B460CF0.jpg

Your own manipulation is the one in which there is direct engagement between Andromeda and the sea creature, since having inserted the new head in profile, she is looking in the direction of the approaching danger. The position of the creature was undecided when I made my head swap, but I actually prefer yours. The hair has been blended effectively to conceal the joins between the head and body.

The bright sunlight is consistent between the figure and the new background. The colour saturation of the rocks is correctly balanced between foreground and background, and the perspective effect is convincing. The composition invites us to glance from the intended victim across the expanse of clear blue sea to the approaching monster, and back again. On any other occasion, we would be admiring a peaceful scene on a beautiful day.

The smaller details are neatly applied, including the water disturbance in the wake of the creature, and the solid iron shackles and chains, casting sharp, dense shadows on the uneven surface of the rock. The attention to detail and fine blending has produced a realistic composition, with a powerful atmosphere of increasing tension. Well done, Kam! :)
 
Your own manipulation is the one in which there is direct engagement between Andromeda and the sea creature, since having inserted the new head in profile, she is looking in the direction of the approaching danger. The position of the creature was undecided when I made my head swap, but I actually prefer yours. The hair has been blended effectively to conceal the joins between the head and body.
I agree, and I think her facial expression is very interesting too - not frightened, but concentrated, focused, psyching herself up for the coming encounter. The one where she's looking out to sea is dramatic too - it's just that the monster's coming round behind her! Ryonen has a very characterful face, great for scenes like this.
 
Another Andomeda, this time featuring sweet Alice K, whose body and head I have assembled from two different pictures. I would have liked to zoom on the main prrotagonist a little closer, but have not been able to find the same photos with higher definition.

andromeda 3.jpg
 
Another Andomeda, this time featuring sweet Alice K, whose body and head I have assembled from two different pictures. I would have liked to zoom on the main prrotagonist a little closer, but have not been able to find the same photos with higher definition.

View attachment 991870
She's got a nice day for it, anyway. :rolleyes: :devil:
A good image with some nice foreshadowing, I think. Sure it's pleasant now, but what happens when the sun starts to go down? Somewhere, lurking in the deeper water is something. Excellent work with the composite figure, and the current resolution is consistent with the background photo, so it all looks seamless. :)
 
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