Monday, June 18, 2007

What shall I do for post 100?


Danae, a young woman imprisoned by her father, a king, who is told that his daughter's offspring will kill him. So the king puts his daughter in an impregnable tower. Zeus, who likes a challenge, beams down on Danae in a ray of golden light. Soon she conceives Perseus, the kid who grows up to decapitate the Gorgon, Medusa. Perseus indeed kills his father - but he refuses the kingdom. I've been working on this painting for months and it's nearing completion. Here are two details: her face, reflecting golden light, and her hand, covered with blood.
Only recently has this painting become Danae. At first I began an abstraction, intending the painting to be about lines of color. And then this figure appeared. I attempted to create a visitation or a three graces - but the composition wouldn't work right. Now I've settled on Danae, and it fits.
I've loved this story for years. Along with the Leda story and the Europa story it forms a trinity of Zeus stories. Zeus as light, impregnating a girl with transcendence, ratchets up the symbolism. This isn't some anthropomorphic tale but a tale that comes as near as ancient mythology can to the virgin birth.
In the story of the Virgin the Holy Spirit is often depicted impregnating Mary through the ear. At least the idea is that the Word begets the Word via audation. Nothing's easy - got to go in through the ear. Which ear? I can't remember if it matters, but probably the right ear - the left ear being sinister.
So you think a tradition would have begun of virgins wearing veils over their ears?
Danae was locked in a tower of bronze, which didn't stop her from becoming pregnant. Her father then put her and her son in a wooden chest and pushed her out to sea - but that didn't stop Zeus and Poseidon from saving her son and her.
Later myths tell of Perseus killing his father two ways: one is an accident with a discus or javelin at the Olympic games; the other is some bold intrusion into the king's court where Perseus pulls Medusa's head out of a bag and turns the whole court to stone. When I was young, hearing this story as a small boy, I loved the vengeance of the calcified court; now I prefer that the story of an accident at the games: it has that element of chance encounter like Oedipus meeting his father along the road; or like the Israelite king who hides among his army in disguise only to be killed when an archer draws his bow and releases an arrow by chance.

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