My collage was inspired by @shaka's striking photo of a mountainous coastline and the sea. I immediately thought of Poseidon, Greek god of the sea. In my picture Poseidon is in his domain and is summoning a storm. A small boat in the foreground is lost as the storm rages.
@shaka's Picture
The small temple on the mountain, overlooking the sea, is a monopteros, which was commonly found in both ancient Greece and Rome. Today, monopteron may also be found adorning European gardens. I'm not sure where @shaka's picture was taken. Was it Italy? Greece? Or was it perhaps in Europe? (Of course, Italy and Greece are in Europe, but I meant besides them.)
Monopteros in Bavaria, Germany: Linderhof Castle
Poseidon and Neptune are regarded by many as interchangeable figures in mythology, but Poseidon was Neptune's antecedent. He is a god in Greek mythology and Neptune is a god in Roman mythology. They both rule the seas, and both carry tridents. Each is often pictured with horses because these figures are also gods of horses. However, Poseidon is frequently shown with a large turtle, as he appears in my collage.
Source Picture of Poseidon for My Collage
I'm not sure what the turtle means, but I found one relevant story:
Poseidon had a demigod son, Sciron, who would rob people and toss them off the side of a cliff. At the bottom of the cliff the victims would become a meal for Sciron's giant turtle, Molly. One day Theseus tossed Sciron off the very same cliff. Molly ate him.
Theseus Beating Sciron
This illustration is from a 1902 book,Griechische Heldensagen für die Jugend bearbeite. The image is in the public domain.
Statue of Poseidon (Location not Indicated]
Both Neptune and Poseidon are known for their short tempers. So, when they are irritated, bad things can happen. Neptune is supposed to have made islands by splitting mountains and throwing the pieces into the sea. And, according to Greek Gods and Goddesses, Poseidon is "one of the most bad-tempered, moody and greedy Olympian gods". As a show of irritation he might cause a flood, an earthquake or call forth a sea monster.
Apollo and Poseidon Punishing Troy
The picture shows Poseidon and Apollo extracting revenge on Troy because its king, Laomedon,refused to pay a promised reward. The picture was painted by Paolo Flamingo (1540-1596) and is in the public domain.
I added the Pixabay picture (already referenced) and then added a small boat, which I found on Paint 3D. Storm effects were achieved by playing around on Gimp. The flame in the temple came from Paint 3D.
Some intermediate steps:
Thank you @shaka for offering another adventure in art. Now that I've completed my challenge, I'm eager to see the collages other bloggers have created for #LMAC this week. There is always a rich display of skill and imagination on display. These may be found on @shaka's blog here.
Hive on!
Dear AG,
Greek mythology and ancient architecture paired with artistic ingenuity and solid image editing skills, these are the elements of this really great collage! Thanks also for the many interesting links! 🌷 You know , I will click them all.
Warm regards,
Anna
Dear Anna,
Thank you so much for coming by! I did think of you when I wrote this simple blog. I thought of all the original pictures you post and how your articles are journeys into an idea. Nothing original here, except my collage, and that was great fun. I'm so glad you like it. My technique (if you can call it that) is crude, but enthusiastic.
You made my night. Thanks again!
Be well. Looking forward to another one of your great blogs.
Very warm regards,
AG
Good night! 🌼
That was an intense scenario. I got some learnings from your collage about Poseidon.
Thank you very much! I learned a lot when I wrote this. I never heard of Sciron before :)
Looking forward to seeing your piece.
(will be back to upvote this comment tomorrow...my VP is lean)
Thanks again for stopping by.
Thanks for contributing this interesting article to the LMAC. Your collages are gradually becoming cinematic!
Thank you @shaka! It seems I'm a story teller at heart :)
@agmoore I'm always pleased to read your collage. There are historical explanations and there is content of how ideas emerge. Making a good collage implies knowing about art and making sense of the new proposal. It's not merely a matter of placing elements.
Collage is art because work it as art.
Thank you for these fabulous historical and mythological references that enhance your beautiful artwork.
Best regards
Hello @marcybetancourt,
You are always so gracious. Yes, it is better for me to understand something about the history of a picture, even if I manufacture that history :)) I lack art skills, but when I create a background there is an idea to guide me.
Your collages are a blend of concept and aesthetics--which makes them interesting, and pleasing to the eye.
I wish you good luck in the contest.
Regards,
AG