Gold Pendant In The Form Of Two Bees, Minoan, 1800-1700 BC

Title: Ocean Life Artist: Christian Schussele (American [born France], 1824-1879) Date: 1859 Genre: marine art, zoological art Medium: Watercolor, gouache, graphite, and gum arabic on off-white wove paper Dimensions: 48.3 cm (19 in) high x 69.7 cm (27.4 in) wide Location: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, NY, USA

Flirt Lefevre Utile (1899) by Alphonse Mucha

PIERRE AMÉDÉE MARCEL-BERONNEAU; "ORPHEUS IN HADES," 1897

The artwork depicts the famed musician Orpheus following his journey into the underworld. He is depicted standing nude, adorned with a laurel wreath, representing his talent in poetry and music. He possesses a beautifully crafted lyre, believed to enchant all creatures and even lifeless items. The backdrop is filled with dark shapes and silhouettes, symbolizing the souls of Hades, enchanted by Orpheus melodies.

Orpheus ventured into Hades after the sorrowful demise of his wife, Eurydice, who had been bitten by a serpent. Overcome by sorrow, he tried to retrieve her from the afterlife. Equipped with his lyre and remarkable musical skills, Orpheus captivated the keepers of the underworld, such as Cerberus, and obtained a meeting with Hades and Persephone. His heartfelt music compelled them to give him an opportunity to retrieve Eurydice, on the condition that he must not glance back at her until they were back on the surface. Orpheus almost succeeds, but in the end, he looks back and loses her forever.

Critics lauded the artwork for its striking composition and the moving depiction of Orpheus's sorrowful quest. Nonetheless, like many artworks from this era, it also encountered criticism from traditionalists who favoured more classical depictions. Over time, Marcel-Beronneau's interpretation has been acknowledged for its distinctive emotional depth and its role in the continual exploration of the Orpheus myth within art and literature.

The Progress of a Soul: The Victory

Artist: Phoebe Anna Traquair (Scottish, 1852 - 1936)

Date: 1902

Medium: Silk and gold thread embroidered on linen

Collection: National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburg, Scotland

About this artwork

This richly coloured and detailed embroidery is the final, climactic work in a series of four called The Progress of a Soul and was made between 1899 and 1902. The human soul is represented by an ideal young man dressed in an animal skin, who was based on the character of Denys L'Auxerrois from Imaginary Portraits by the English critic and writer Walter Pater. In this panel, The Victory, Denys is seen after death, reborn into eternal life. He has been awoken with a kiss from a red haired, red winged seraph, suggesting he has entered the realm of heaven.

The Suitors (1862) by Gustave Moreau

Florence Fountain, Boboli Gardens (1906) by John Singer Sargent

The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day (1891) by John William Godward

Salome in the Garden (1878) by Gustave Moreau

Plinio Nomellini (Italian, 1866-1943)

Perduto nella meditazione

minmo ily 🫶

Since someone reposted the minmo poster I made I am posting it again here in retaliation