Greek Mythological Figures

Greek Mythological Figures

Greek mythological figures have, over the years, providing an efficient platform for artists to display their artistic prowess.  Most of the figures that the Greeks believed in were mythical. Artists were forced to display their creativity as a way of unraveling how these figures could be in real-life. Greek paintings are prevalent in many places around the globe and have attracted tourists from all corners of the earth, who are interested in learning about the rich Greek history that spans for centuries. The following study will analyze Achilles. The study will specifically focus on a brief analysis of this mythological figure, which will be followed up by a detailed analysis of the Achilles painting. The study will culminate with an analysis of the comparison between Achilles painting and the Odysseus painting.

One of my favorite Greek mythological figures is Achilles, who was a hero during the famous Trojan War. He was regarded as the greatest Greek warrior in history. He was particularly famed for defeating Hector, who was a prince of Trojan at the Troy gates. There are controversies as to how this warrior was killed. Various researchers on mythical issues mentioned that Paris killed him at the end of the Trojan War after he was shot in the heel.  Articles written in the first century AD revealed that Achilles had strengths in all parts of his body except in the heels. It was believed that his heels were weakened during birth when his mother held him on the heels after giving birth in the river. The above beliefs influenced modern science and research, for instance, in the naming of the Achilles tendon, which is named after him (Dudley).

One of the most famous paintings of Achilles is the ancient Greek polychromatic pottery painting that dates 300 BC, where the Achilles is displayed killing Memnon, who was a king in Ethiopia after fighting as a friend during the Trojan war (Dudley). The artistic painting depicts Achilles holding a bow and an arrow and presumably aiming it at someone. Aloft the picture, it seems like another person is wearing a robe flying in the air. Achilles is also clad in a yellowish or orange robe. Everything else within the picture appears to be of the same color. The background color is black, while the Achilles figure is clad in white and orange with a red ribbon at the back of his head. Pottery painting was common during the ancient Greek art, and the representation of the yellowish or orange color emanated mainly from the fact that the paintings were predominantly made from pots. The orange or yellowish color, therefore, emanated from the clay that was used to make the pots (Dudley).

The artist primarily relied on the use of pottery in the painting. One of the reasons for the use of vase painting was the fact that they were cheap and could be accessed to a large group of people. Vase paintings were also regarded as durable and therefore survived for ages unlike other forms of paintings.  The painting followed a geometric decoration, which was complicated in every aspect. Additionally, the artist utilized decorative patters that were spiral and circular. As a result of the fact that the paintings could only be inscribed in a pot, the artist was limited in colors and was therefore prompted to use four colors, which were black, white, yellowish or orange and the red color that is used at the back of the Achilles’ head. The accuracy and meticulousness of the painting are evident throughout the art.  The colors and the geometric alignments are similar to those of modern-day paintings (Dudley).

As a way of augmenting our understanding of these ancient paintings, the following analysis will involve a comparison between the Achilles and the Odysseus. Before this comparison, the following research details a brief analysis of Odysseus. Odysseus was a Greek king of Ithaca who plays a critical role in the Iliad and other works during the same period.  The king was primarily known for his versatility, cunningness, and brilliance and is widely regarded as the cunning Greek king. He also participated in the Trojan War, where he spent close to ten years (Nardo).

The Odysseus painting depicts the head of the Odysseus, from the Roman period and the Hellenistic marble group, as was widely touted at the time. The painting is found in the villa of Tiberius in Sperlonga, Italy (Nardo). It depicts a sculpture of the head of Odysseus. There are differences between this painting and the Achilles painting, as will be unraveled below.

While the Achilles painting incorporated various colors, the Odysseus painting does not incorporate divergent color and is a classic black and white painting. The background of the painting is black, while the head has a predominantly white color.   While the Achilles painting was crafted from pots, the Odysseus painting was sculptured from a Sperlonga. The painting follows a Hellenistic style that incorporated large sculptures. The details and the accuracy of the statues were meticulous, with a precise geometry that captured the true nature of the Odysseus. The crafters of these sculptures are unknown, and the artists are therefore unknown. It is, however, palpable that despite both artistic works emanating from different historical periods, they share in the geometry, accuracy, and details. The only different aspects are color and the materials used in the paintings (Nardo).

In conclusion, the study elucidates two critical historical Greek paintings. The study illuminates two mystical figures Achilles and Odysseus, who were some of the most famous Greek warriors and the reasons for their popularity. The study further analyzed the paintings that have been developed to uncover a clear picture of the appearance of these mythological figures. While the artists of these paintings are unknown, their works have been discussed in detail in this study. There are some similarities between both paintings in the fact that they are accurate, detailed, and precise, with the most notable differences being on the use of colors and materials.