[For details click on the images]
Fig. 5 The judgment of Paris, by Lauronce in pastiche antique costumes in a setting at the beginning of the 19th century, lithography on satin, around 1890
Fig. 7 Selena/Artemis falls in love with the sleeping Endymion, around 1800
Eros & Amor:Love iconography on fans (2)
Mythology
(cont'd):
The
abduction of Europa: This time, Zeus appears as a tame, white
bull. On his back, he abducts Europa to Crete (where she bears him 3
children). Again, this scene gave rise to a Christian interpretation:
Christ (the white bull) leads the human soul away from human passions
towards spiritual spheres. (p.103, ibid.).
Venus (Aphrodite) and Mars (Ares): Venus (Greek: Aphrodite)
married to Vulcan (Hephaistos) commits adultery with Mars (Ares). Amor
(Eros) aimed one of his infamous golden arrows at Mars, who fell in
love with Venus. Usually depicted scenes show Venus expecting Mars with
a culpable Eros hiding, a satisfied Eros flying away or a curious Eros
watching. But Apollo denounces the couple, and Vulcan comes to catch
them with an invisible net.
Apollo and Daphne: Apollo annoys Eros (Amor), the latter
takes revenge and hits Apollo with a golden arrow. At the same time
though, he aims a leaden arrow at Daphne, who consequently refuses Apollo's
courting. When Apollo tries to take her par force, the chaste nymph
prefers to turn into a laurel tree. The scene shown in paintings and
on fans often shows the moment when Daphne's arms already are full of
leaves. Ever since, the laurel is Apollo's holy tree. He is often depicted
wearing a laurel wrath.
The judgment of Paris: Paris has the unthankful role
to hand the golden apple to the goddess that is most beautiful: Hera
(Juno) tries to conquer him in promising him the whole of Asia, Athena
(Minerva) wisdom and victory in war, and Aphrodite (Venus) the love
of the most beautiful woman on earth, Helena. Paris decides for the
latter. The scene shows Paris (often dressed in contemporary costume)
and the nude goddesses with their respective symbols: Hera with diadem
or scepter, at her feet her holy bird, the peacock; chaste Athena with
a warrior helmet, spear and the owl as symbol of wisdom; and Aphrodite,
goddess of love, with two doves and often accompanied by Eros (who is
sometimes considered her son by Ares).
The three Graces: They are always shown as three young
and beautiful women and personify grace and beauty, sometimes accompanied
by Apollo (as god of music) or Aphrodite (as goddess of love). Sometimes
they are interpreted as personification of castitas, pulchritudo, et
amor (chastity, beauty and love).
Selena and Endymion: A minor mythological topic, although
appearing relatively frequently on fans. Selena/Luna (later this figure
merged with Artemis/Diana) falls in love with the sleeping shepherd
Endymion. Without his knowledge, she visits him every night and bears
him numerous children, sometimes interpreted as the stars on the night
sky.
These are just some few examples to show different ways of interpretation. Some clearly fall under the adage: "hony soit qui mal y pense". This "double entente" clearly contributed to their long-lasting attractiveness.
3.
Love gods:
Eros, Amor, Putti (cherubs): The Greek love god Eros
(Roman Amor or Cupid) is often depicted as winged boy with bow, arrow
and quiver. Already the Pompeian frescoes show him in this attire. His
presence in paintings alludes to the erotic or love character of the
scene. Born out of the chaos according to ancient sources, he is sometimes
considered the son of Venus and Mars. In antique images, and then again
in paintings of the 16th and 19th century, he is shown as a young man,
approaching Venus rather like a lover than her son. Eros evokes (human)
love in gods and human beings alike. Sometimes he is painted blind-folded,
to show the unpremeditated strike of love.
Since the
early renaissance, "child angels" are depicted as boys (rarely
girls) with wings. These cherubs are often called "putti".
Amor/Eros is often multiplied, then called Amoretti (Italian: Amorini
or Cupidines). To differentiate them from cherubs, they always carry
a bow, an arrow and a quiver, or at least a quiver belt.
The arrow is an old symbol of virility and the male
principle. The quiver, on the contrary, symbolizes the female principle.
Fig.6 The
three graces,
marriage fan, around 1860
Fig. 8 Carved Amor with bow and arrow, wooden Brisé fan, ev. of Asian origin
