Why was Orestes chased by the Furies?
Orestes, who has killed his adulterous mother, Clytemnestra, and her lover Aegisthus, has fled to the Temple of Apollo for refuge, pursued by the Furies (Erinyes), the goddesses of vengeance. Apollo puts two of the Furies to sleep while he purifies the young man with pig’s blood.
Where is the Pieta by William Adolphe Bouguereau?
Summary
| William-Adolphe Bouguereau: Pietà | |
|---|---|
| References | Christie’s, LotFinder: entry 5324539 (sale 2322, lot 120, New York, Rockefeller Plaza, 9 June 2010) |
| Source/Photographer | Art Renewal Center |
What are the Furies known for?
goddesses of vengeance and retribution
THE ERINYES (Furies) were three goddesses of vengeance and retribution who punished men for crimes against the natural order. They were particularly concerned with homicide, unfilial conduct, offenses against the gods, and perjury.
What is Orestes prophecy?
In accordance with the advice of the god Apollo, Orestes has killed his mother Clytemnestra to avenge the death of his father Agamemnon at her hands. Despite Apollo’s earlier prophecy, Orestes finds himself tormented by Erinyes or Furies to the blood guilt stemming from his matricide.
What Pieta means?
The Pietà was a popular subject among northern european artists. It means Pity or Compassion, and represents Mary sorrowfully contemplating the dead body of her son which she holds on her lap. This sculpture was commissioned by a French Cardinal living in Rome.
What is the origin of the Furies?
According to the Greek poet Hesiod, they were the daughters of Gaea (Earth) and sprang from the blood of her mutilated spouse Uranus. In the plays of Aeschylus, they were the daughters of Nyx; in those of Sophocles, they were the daughters of Darkness and of Gaea.
Whose protectors do the Furies become?
Whose protectors do the Furies become? Goddesses of vengeance and punishers of wrong-doing in general, the Furies were considered protectors of the rights of senior family members, especially mothers, fathers, and elder siblings. A famous example is their pursuit of Orestes after he killed his mother Clytemnestra.
What is difficult about the decision Orestes has to make?
The character Orestes, son of Agamemnon, is faced with a difficult decision. He makes an oath to the Greek god Apollo to avenge his father’s death. To do so, he must kill his father’s murderer.
Why was the Pietà important to the Renaissance?
A Renaissance Masterpiece At the forefront of this trend, Michelangelo crafted sculptures that focused on balance, detail, and a lifelike yet idealized approach to the human form. The Pietà perfectly reflects these Renaissance ideals. In order to suggest balance, he rendered the sculpture as a pyramid.
How does the Pietà reflect the Renaissance?
This signifies the sacredness of Christ’s body. Overall, these two figures are beautiful and idealized, despite their suffering. This reflects the High Renaissance belief in Neo-Platonic ideals in that beauty on earth reflected God’s beauty, so these beautiful figures were echoing the beauty of the divine.
What did the Furies represent?
The Furies in Greek Mythology, also called the the Erinyes, were goddesses of vengeance and justice. Symbolized by snakes and blood, the Furies travelled the earth dispensing punishment, as well as torturing souls in the Underworld, the Greek realm of the dead.
Who were the parents of the Furies?
GaiaErinyes / ParentsIn Greek mythology, Gaia, also spelled Gaea, is the personification of the Earth and one of the Greek primordial deities. Gaia is the ancestral mother—sometimes parthenogenic—of all life. Wikipedia