Images of Myths in Classical Antiquity - 2003

340 Pages·2016·31.57 MB·English

by  Susan Woodford

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Boston PuhHr
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images ol Myths In Classical Antiquity
Myths Inspired Greek and Roman artists i<> rise to tin- 1 ballenge
ol conveying flowing narratives in static form. ilus hook de
scribes the differenl Mays painters, sculptors, and othei artists
explored and exploited the dense loresi ol myth. It explains how
formulas were devised foi certain stories; how these could be
adapted, developed. And even transferred toothercontexts; how
onemythcould bedistinguished fromanother orconfused with
it; howmythsrelatedtodailylifeorpolitical propaganda;andthe
influenceof evolving tastes.
Written in a lively and accessible style, Fully illustrated with
examples drawn from a wide range ofmedia, Images oj Mvths in
Classical Antiquity provides fresh and stimulating insights into
therepresentation ofmyths in Greek and Roman art.
Dr. SusanWoodfordteachesGreekand Romanart fortheUniver-
sity ofLondon and is engaged in research for the Department of
Greek and Roman Antiquities at the British Museum. A former
Fulbright Scholar and Woodrow Wilson Fellow, she has written
extensivelyon classical art for learnedjournalsand istheauthor
of several books, including The Parthenon, The Art oj Greece
and Rome, An Introduction to Greek Art, and The Trojan War in
Ancient Art.

1MACB MYTHS
OF IN
CLXSSICXL ANTIQUITY
SUSAN WOODFORD
H
Cambridge
UNIVERSITY PRESS
i'i mismii) in imi PRtss SYNDICATI <>i mi i mmkmm 01 CAMBRIDGI
TheI'll* Building,TrumpingtonStreet,Cambridge. UnitedKingdom
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c SusanWoodford2003
Thisbookisincopyright.Subjecttostatutoryexception
andtotheprovisionsofrelevantcollectivelicensingagreements,
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thewrittenpermissionofCambridgeUniversityPress.
Firstpublished2003
PrintedintheUnitedKingdomattheUniversityPress,Cambridge
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FOK HELEN
ogtis8e ttAoutov f) aGevos (jidAAov cpiAcov
dyaGcovTreTracrGai pouAeTai, kockgos9poveT.
Euripides, The MadnessofHerakles, lines 1425 1426
Only a fool would prefer wealth or powerto true friends.

Contents
List ofIllustrations payc ix
Acknowledgements xxiii
Noteon Terminologyand Spelling xxv
PART ONE. AN INTRODUCTION
Myths and Images
i
PART TWO. TRANSFORMING WORDS INTO IMAGES
2 Making Myths Recognisable 15
3 Choosing a Moment 28
4 Epic Expansiveness versus Tragic Focus 43
PART THREE. BUILDING IMAGES
5 Formulas and Motifs 57
6 Transference ofTypes 73
7 Creating Compositions 86
PART FOUR. INNOVATIONS, DEVELOPMENTS
AND CONNECTIONS
8 Innovations Inspired by Poets 105
9 Innovations Inspired by Artists 115
viii Contents
to Changing interests 127
11 History and Myth in Art 141
12 LifeandMythinAil 154
PART FIVE. PROBLEMS
13 Showing What Cannot Be Seen 165
14 Distinguishing One Myth from Another 176
15 Confusing One Myth with Another 191
16 Misunderstandings and Muddles 199
17 Can the Key to an Image Always Be Found? 215
Glossary 238
Mythological Characters 238
Historical Figures 250
appendix 1. TheSurvivalofGreekMyths in Art andLiterature 253
appendix 2. TheIllustrations in the Context ofArt History 257
VasePainting, PaintingandMosaics 257
Sculpture 264
appendix 3. TheIllustrations in the Context ofFive Cycles
ofMyth 267
Jason andtheArgonauts 267
TheSeven against Thebes 270
Herakles 271
Theseus 275
The Trojan War 278
SuggestionsforFurtherReading 285
Picture Credits 288
Index 297