Images of Myths in Classical Antiquity

by Susan Woodford

Stories take time to tell; Greek and Roman artists had to convey them in static images. How did they go about it? How could they ensure that their scenes would be recognized? What problems did they have? How did they solve them? This generously illustrated book explores the ways classical artists portrayed a variety of myths. It explains how formulas were devised for certain stories; how these inventions could be adapted, developed and even transferred to other myths; how one myth could be distinguished from another; what links there were with daily life and historical propaganda; the influence of changing tastes, and problems still outstanding. Examples are drawn from a wide range of media--vases, murals, mosaics, sarcophagi, sculpture--used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. The myths are mostly those that are also easily recognized in later works of art. No previous knowledge of the subject is assumed, all examples are illustrated and all names, terms and concepts are fully explained. Susan Woodford teaches Greek and Roman art at the University of London and is engaged in research for the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities at the British Museum. A former Fullbright Scholar and Woodrow Wilson Fellow, she and is author of The Parthenon (Cambridge, 1981), The Art of Greece (Cornell, 1993), An Introduction to Greek Art (Cornell, 1986) and The Trojan War in Ancient Art (Cornell, 1993).

Genres: Art, Mythology, Nonfiction, Classics, History

332 pages, Paperback

First published December 2, 2002

Reviews

[Viktoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Expected a bit more in-depth analysis, but great for starters.

[Diana Fadeeva · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book contains some repeated information. I had expected more about how the image of one myth transforms into another over time during antiquity — something along the lines of the iconological method.

[Ida]

Skimmed through the whole book for my uni exam (Mediterrean Antiquity in myth and reality). Will probably buy a copy in the future.

[Birch · Rating 1 out of 5]

:/

[Caitlin H · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good overview of what it says in the title. Woodford goes over all sorts of types of myth & art, whether myth informing art, art informing myth, myth vs. historical fact, etc. She also briefly touches on the fact that sometimes no one can figure out exactly what is being depicted, using the Parthenon Frieze & Portland Vase as examples. Her writing is easy to read, even funny in parts-- though i don't know if that's intentional or just me-- though at times it can be repetitive, even reiterating information just discussed in the last section. But since i originally bought this for an art history class, & readings were assigned sometimes out of order, this makes a little more sense, if Woodford wrote the book with this in mind.

There are many illustrations throughout, directly discussed in the text as examples of different points. They're all in black & white, but are clear. In some cases where it's difficult to see what's going on in the original work, such as something that's missing a lot of visual information or Roman sarcophagi, there's an accompanying drawing that clarifies the composition & allows you to see more clearly who & what is being discussed.

The book is a very good introduction to the various ways in which myths & related stories were depicted in art & even influenced by it, & how dynamics changed throughout time. You also become familiarized with certain myths in order to identify scenes & characters involved in them, & how to sometimes tell them apart. Woodford explains all the different ways to identify what's being depicted, & how to apply those methods when looking at works not discussed in the text. And the inclusion of the Parthenon Frieze & Portland Vase at the end, with the differing scholarly interpretations, reminds the reader that not everything is known or cut & dry, & even leads them to develop their own ideas, using the foundation of information laid by the rest of the book.

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was pretty great for studying mythology based art. It was easy to read with chapters on transforming words into images, building images, innovations, developments and connections, and problems. It focuses on critically analyzing the art in the book and figuring out the artist's perspective. The book has images next to the text that explains them but lacks color.

[Pamela Boswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite thoughtful.