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I remember reading somewhere several years ago that art depicting wings on ancient Greek and Roman gods and goddesses began in the 1700s or 1800s, and that copies of ancient paintings and statuary often added wings to deities despite the original pieces being wingless.
However, I happened onto several photos online of authentic ancient Greek artwork that showed some deities with wings, so now I'm thinking I was laboring under a misapprehension. (Where did I hear that mouthful? Ummm...oh, yeah, Bridget Jones's Diary.) Anyone know the truth about authentic ancient art showing winged Greek and Roman gods and goddesses?
The image is of a restored statue (maybe a copy) called The Old Centaur, which is in the Louvre. It shows young Eros on the back of the centaur Chiron. The original had been sculpted in marble and was found partially broken when excavated in the 1700s. Parts that were missing include Eros's head and part of his back. Copies always show wings on Eros, and I wonder if they should.
I have a shelf-sized copy of the statue, which I love.
BoneyardDem
(1,202 posts)but didn't Hermes/Mercury have wings on their heels and helmets?
But this statue has a winged Eros fro C2ndAD
frogmarch
(12,160 posts)It appears that whoever it was who wrote that ancient depictions of Greek and Roman deities were always wingless was full of...was wrong.
Thanks for digging that up, BD. Much appreciated.
underpants
(182,992 posts)When she gets on the topic my wife just sit back and let her go.
frogmarch
(12,160 posts)take it all in. How cool that your daughter is into Greek mythology!
underpants
(182,992 posts)Something about two snakes versus one snake.
frogmarch
(12,160 posts)I'm going to have to do some serious googling!
UTUSN
(70,779 posts)But I meant to post this in the Lounge, not in GD, where lots of real stuff is happening.
Behind the Aegis
(54,044 posts)I have studied Greek Mythology since 4th grade. (Thanks to Wonder Woman!). Besides, Eros, Nike, Goddess of Victory, was often portrayed as winged. Hermes had his helmet, but there are some statues where he had winged sandals, and some, where the sandals were missing but the wings were not (attached on his ankles). The furies are often shown with wings (not always), so are the Gorgon sisters. The God of the Western winds, Zephyros, had wings, as did the god of sleep, Hypnos. Personified death, Thantos, was shown with wings (an Angel of Death), but I honestly have only seen a few examples of it.
frogmarch
(12,160 posts)post to my son who got me going on the wing thing today.
I have a little statue of Pan comforting Psyche after his nymphs rescued her from drowning when, according to some versions of the story, she fell or jumped into a river - or angry Eros intentionally dropped her as he was flying her back to her people. I'll see if I can find a picture of the statue online and post it. Psyche was a human princess, but in the statue she has wings. What do you think about a winged Psyche? Did her marrying Eros make her a deity? Maybe the sculptor, Begas, just felt like giving her wings.
Pan Comforting Psyche
Reinhold Begas 1857 - 1858
From the collection of
Alte Nationalgalerie, National Museums in Berlin
BoneyardDem
(1,202 posts)Takes my breath away
frogmarch
(12,160 posts)Design Toscano. It's my favorite.
https://www.designtoscano.com/product/pan+comforts+psyche+bonded+natural+marble+resin+statue++-+wu73382.do
suffragette
(12,232 posts)Edit to add Eos, Goddess of Dawn and Iris, Goddess of Rainbows and a messenger.
frogmarch
(12,160 posts)I googled them, and sure enough...wings!
Thanks very much, suffragette.
suffragette
(12,232 posts)She was Greek and and her first name was Urania.
She was adept at languages and could translate on her own.
She taught her classes with gusto and humor and never shied away from the raunchy bits.
She was quite demanding and her tests were extremely challenging. Thats why I still remember Eos; she was in a few vivid myths.
She was also thoughtful and caring and introduced me to the works of Marie de France when I spoke to her about not feeling drawn to any of her pre-approved topics for the final Chaucer paper. Glad she did and well worth the extra reading and analysis I undertook to do that.
I still remember seeing the Winged Victory of Samothrace at the Louvre the first time I went to Paris. So beautiful I gasped.
Found a lovely video here that shows her well:
https://m.
OxQQme
(2,550 posts)It's about DNA helix's from way before the Greek civilization, inscribed on clay tablets during Sumerian times.
Amazing! That is really something! I just found out (Google) it was a few thousand years BC!
Thanks!