6 Ancient Greek Myths That Shaped Art History the Most

Greek myths have stirred artists' imaginations since ancient times, when sculptors first began carving gods and goddesses out of marble. The trials and monsters faced by the heroes of ancient Greece inspired Renaissance masters, Surrealists, and even Conceptual artists. Although the Greek myths were recorded by more than one author and exist in different versions, sources such as Homer's "Iliad" and Ovid's "Metamorphoses" offer an alternative history of humanity, from the creation of the first woman to the fall of Troy. Below you'll find six myths described in detail — so woven into the history of art that knowing them is simply essential for any museum visit.

Pandora's Box

Pandora, the first woman on Earth, was created out of revenge. Zeus, ruler of all the other gods and of the heavens, was enraged at the Titan Prometheus for creating man in the image of the gods and giving him fire stolen from them. Wishing to punish Prometheus, Zeus ordered the god Hephaestus to create Pandora. Pandora was placed on Earth, described in the myth as a paradise, and Zeus gave her a box which he forbade her ever to open. Pandora could not resist temptation and released into the world the curses of humankind — disease, old age, and death.

Odilon Redon, "Pandora," 1914, photo Wikimedia Commons

The French painter Odilon Redon was fascinated by the women of classical myth and painted Pandora on several occasions. In the 1914 painting, Pandora stands nude, surrounded by bright blossoms, yet her attention is fixed on the small box she holds in her hands. Redon painted the work just before the First World War, so it is possible he intended to draw a parallel between the misfortunes hidden in the box and the horrors of war.

Perseus and Andromeda

Perseus was one of the greatest heroes of Greek mythology, famed for slaying both Medusa and Cetus, the sea monster guarding Princess Andromeda. Queen Cassiopeia, who ruled mythical Ethiopia together with her husband, boasted that she and her daughter Andromeda rivaled the Nereids, the sea nymphs, in beauty. This remark offended Poseidon, god of the sea, who, seeking to punish Cassiopeia, unleashed Cetus upon the kingdom. After consulting an oracle, Andromeda's father, King Cepheus, chained her to a rock on the shore, preparing to sacrifice her to appease Poseidon. Perseus caught sight of her at the very moment she was about to be sacrificed and instantly fell in love. He slew Cetus and married Andromeda.

Peter Paul Rubens, "Perseus Freeing Andromeda," 1620–1622, Wikimedia Commons

Perhaps the most famous painting depicting this myth was made by Peter Paul Rubens. In the 1620–1622 canvas "Perseus Freeing Andromeda," we see Perseus, accompanied by several cherubs, approaching the chained Andromeda. In the lower left corner, the slain Cetus can be seen.

The Minotaur

The Minotaur is a creature half man, half beast, born to Pasiphaë, queen of Crete. Daedalus, an inventor favored by King Minos, built a labyrinth to conceal the beast, but the monster demanded tribute — seven young men and seven virgin maidens (some accounts say this offering was required every year, others every nine years). Eventually, the Greek hero Theseus slew the Minotaur, yet the mythical creature and the greed, lust, and forbidden desire it symbolizes live on to this day.

Pablo Picasso became especially preoccupied with the Minotaur during a period of turmoil in his personal life — as his marriage to Olga Khokhlova was falling apart and his mistress at the time, Marie-Thérèse Walter, became pregnant. But the period when he most often depicted the beast, the early 1930s, also saw rising political tension in Europe. The artist merged the mythical monster with the bullfighting traditions of his native Spain, giving rise to works such as the etching "Minotauromachy" (1935), which depicts a Minotaur looming over a girl holding a candle and a bouquet of flowers. At the Minotaur's feet lie a wounded matador and a horse. Girls holding doves, symbols of peace, look on through windows. Some observers note that all the female figures bear a resemblance to Marie-Thérèse. You can view the painting by following this link.

Icarus

Daedalus is remembered not only for the labyrinth that imprisoned the Minotaur, but also for the tragic death of his son Icarus, which has inspired countless poems, songs, and works of art. Seeking to escape Crete, Daedalus built wings for himself and his son. Ignoring his father's warnings, Icarus flew too close to the sun, and the heat melted the wax holding his wings together. He fell into the sea and drowned. This story is often told as a lesson that excessive ambition can be disastrous.

Pieter Bruegel, "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus," Wikimedia Commons

To this day, the most famous work depicting Icarus is "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" (c. 1555), which shows an ordinary scene of coastal town life. Icarus is visible only as legs protruding from the water, while everyone else in the painting pays him no attention at all. The oil painting is attributed to Pieter Bruegel the Elder, though some experts doubt its authenticity, since neither the exact date nor the place of its creation is known.

In his illustration for the book "Jazz" (1947), Henri Matisse depicted Icarus in a somewhat more joyful light. Matisse was experimenting with his latest discovery — cut-out colored paper. In his work, Icarus dances merrily among the stars. You can view the artwork by following this link.

Leda and the Swan

The story of Leda and the Swan is perhaps the most bewildering for modern readers, yet it is one of the most famous myths, traveling through art history for centuries. According to the myth, Zeus, transformed into a swan, ravishes Leda, queen of Sparta, who then gives birth to Helen. As if that were not enough, Helen is later abducted by Paris, prince of Troy, sparking the Trojan War.

Francesco Melzi after Da Vinci, "Leda and the Swan," 1508–1515, Wikimedia Commons

The motif of a woman and a bird as a symbol of tragedy captivated many artists. Leonardo da Vinci painted two versions of Leda and the Swan, but neither has survived. Only a few of the master's sketches and works by his pupils have come down to us, all depicting a solemn-faced, nude woman holding a swan. Around 1880, Paul Cézanne painted his own version of Leda and the Swan, portraying a fair-haired woman gazing in bewilderment at a swan biting her hand.

Paul Cézanne, "Leda and the Swan," c. 1880, Wikimedia Commons

The Abstractionist Cy Twombly was likewise not indifferent to the story — his work is a frenzied tangle of chalk, pencil, and paint marks, within which a few more concrete elements, such as hearts and a phallus, can be discerned. You can view the artwork by following this link.

Achilles

Achilles was the son of a mortal and the goddess Thetis. Wishing to make her son immortal, Thetis bathed him in the river Styx. The water failed to touch only one spot — the heel by which his mother held him. The Fates foretold that Achilles would achieve heroism and death in the Trojan War, but his mother hoped that if he did not take part in the war, he would live a long and happy life. Nevertheless, Achilles chose to fight and led the Greeks through the ten-year siege of Troy. One of his greatest victories was over Hector, whom Achilles killed in revenge for the death of his presumed lover Patroclus. In the end, as foretold, Achilles perished at Troy. The most popular version holds that the god Apollo guided an arrow shot by the Trojan prince into Achilles's heel, the hero's only vulnerable spot — though this did not happen on the battlefield, and the killer's victory was anything but heroic. The tragedy and heroism of Achilles remain relevant to this day, and his story is told in Homer's "Iliad," where Achilles is the epic's central character.

Among modern painters, Barnett Newman was especially captivated by Greek mythology. His painting "Achilles" (1952) depicts a vertical red stripe against a brown background. The red stripe most likely refers to the armor forged by Hephaestus that Achilles wore into battle. Twombly depicted the Greek tragedy in his abstraction "Fifty Days at Iliam: Shades of Achilles, Patroclus and Hector" (1987). You can view the artwork by following this link.

Gavin Hamilton, "Achilles Mourning the Death of Patroclus," 1760–1763, Wikimedia Commons

A far more traditional depiction of the story was made by Gavin Hamilton in the painting "Achilles Mourning the Death of Patroclus" (1760–1763). Achilles holds the lifeless, ghostly pale body of Patroclus, pushing away the Greek soldiers around him.

We hope your next museum visit will be anything but boring!