Lamia (1905), by J.W. Waterhouse In Greek mythology, Lamia was a Libyan que
Lamia (1905), by J.W. Waterhouse In Greek mythology, Lamia was a Libyan queen whose children were killed by Hera after she found out that she had an affair with her husband Zeus. Her grief turned her into a snakelike creature that started to kill other innocent children. In the painting she is using her former beauty to seduce a young man with the intention to kill him and drink his blood. Waterhouse painted two versions, both of similar size and believed to be completed in the same year.The English poet John Keats reworked the myth into a poem that was published in 1820. It contains a passage where true beauty is offset against cold philosophy that not only inspired Waterhouse, but also Edgar Allan Poe and the band Genesis.…Philosophy will clip an Angel’s wings,Conquer all mysteries by rule and line,Empty the haunted air, and gnomed mine -Unweave a rainbow, as it erewhile madeThe tender-person’d Lamia melt into a shade..…The poem is too long to phrase it entirely, but below is the link to the song of Genesis.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWRrQ6GlI8o -- source link
#painting#pre-raphaelite#symbolism#greek mythology#john keats#poetry#genesis#philosophy#beauty#vampire