Mythological genre in fine arts

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Those who want to see something that was not really there can turn to paintings of a certain genre. Such canvases depict fabulous creatures, heroes of legends and traditions, folklore events. Artists of the mythological genre write in this manner.

How to bring a painting to life

Undoubtedly, in order to display events that he did not see with his own eyes, the master must have excellent imagination and know the plot of the work on the basis of which he is going to create. In order for the viewer to like the picture, one must skillfully use the brush, then the images that exist in the artist’s head will come to life and turn into a fairy tale in reality. Masters who can do this have become famous all over the world. Famous names include: Botticelli, Vasnetsov, Mantegna, Cranach, Giorgione.

Origination

The mythological genre in art appeared when people stopped believing in what their ancestors told them. Works on the theme of past events became simple stories in which the existence of their heroes was actually called into question. Thenartists were able to give free rein to their imagination and depict participants in ancient events on canvas as they imagined them. The mythological genre in the visual arts flourished in a special way in the Renaissance. Moreover, in each century, different legends became subjects for creativity, since there was no shortage of them. Initially, the mythological genre assumed the image of the heroes of ancient Greece and the events associated with their lives. Gradually, in the 17th century, scenes filled with special meaning appeared in the paintings, affecting aesthetic and moral problems close to life's realities. And already in the 19-20 centuries, the field of activity of an artist working in such a direction as the mythological genre became especially wide. Celtic, Germanic, Indian, and Slavic myths serve as the basis for the image.

Sandro Botticelli

This painter was the first to use the mythological genre to create works of art. Before him, plots of this theme were used for decorative ornaments. Private customers made an order, often coming up with what should be depicted and what semantic load it would carry. Therefore, they were understandable only to those who bought such work. It is interesting that the master painted his paintings in such a way that they would be combined with any pieces of furniture and everyday life. Therefore, the unusual size or shape of his paintings is justified by the fact that, together with the subject for which they were painted, everything looked quite harmonious. Among his works are known "BirthVenus", "Spring". Botticelli also used the mythological genre to paint altars. Famous works of this kind include the Cestello Annunciation and the Madonna and Child with John the Baptist.

Andrea Mantegna

The mythological genre in the visual arts brought fame to this artist. In particular, his painting "Parnassus" was made in this direction. Only such a connoisseur of antiquity as Mantegna could create such a canvas, filled with subtle allegories, some of which have not yet been solved. The main plot of the picture is the love of Mars and Venus. It was their figures that the artist placed in the center. This is adultery, so Mantegna considered it necessary to reflect the indignation of the deceived husband - Hephaestus. He left his room and stands at the entrance to the forge, sending curses towards the couple in love. Two gods, Apollo and Mercury, who contribute to the convergence of Mars and Venus, are also present in the picture. In addition, nine dancing muses are depicted here, who are capable of causing a volcanic eruption with their singing. But to the right of the center of the picture is Pegasus. This winged horse, according to legend, was able to stop the eruption by stamping its hoof.

Giorgione

The master painted several paintings in the mythological genre. Among them is "Sleeping Venus", which the author could not finish, because in the process of creation he fell ill with the plague and died. Until now, disputes continue about who completed the canvas. Also famous is Judith. This picture was created on the basis of a biblical story. This theme also occupied other artists, but on the Giorgione canvas it is depictedmodest, gentle and full of dignity. She steps on the head of Holofernes with her foot. This is a negative character, but his appearance does not repel the viewer, although at that time negative heroes were portrayed as ugly.

Viktor Vasnetsov

The creator of paintings, on which everyone's favorite fairy tales came to life, represents the mythological genre in painting in his works. It’s no surprise that children love his paintings. After all, they depict the heroes of the works of Russian folklore beloved and familiar from childhood. The mythological genre allows the artist to show his imagination and depict on the canvas what he imagines in his imagination. But Vasnetsov's works touch the spiritual strings of a person so much that they resonate in every heart.

Maybe because he loved and was able to convey in his works the versatility of Russian nature. Everyone's favorite birches cannot but touch with their quiet sadness. Everything that a person sees in Vasnetsov's paintings is familiar to him. Even fairy-tale characters are recognizable, although they could not be seen anywhere before. The master's works do not just depict, they teach how pure female beauty, masculinity and heroic strength should look. Therefore, his work is familiar to everyone. These are such paintings as "The Snow Maiden", "Alenushka", "Bogatyrs", "Ivan Tsarevich and the Gray Wolf", "Koschey the Immortal".

Mikhail Vrubel

The mythological genre became the basis of the work of the no less famous painter Mikhail Vrubel. Everyone knows himpainting "The Swan Princess", based on the fairy tale by Pushkin. Although the image is quite mythological, in fact, Vrubel depicted his wife in a stage costume. She sang in the opera, the scenery for which was also painted by her husband. The colors used by the master fill the image with tenderness and lightness. The author tried to convey the moment when the bird turns into a beautiful princess. He succeeded quite well. Until now, the magical effect of his paintings makes many people become fans of his work.

The mythological genre is interesting, awakens the imagination not only of the artist, but also of the viewer. And most importantly, there are many sources for inspiration, so the scope for creativity is endless.