Postcard – Classical ideal

 

 

CLASSICAL IDEAL- Ancient Athens, Classical Greece, Hellenistic Greece and  Ancient Rome

 

Classical Ideal – Classical and Hellenistic, and Roman worlds

The Classical ideal of ancient Athens, pertains to the standard of excellence proposed by the cultures of ancient Greece, and Rome, beginning in the Golden Age of Greece. The ancient Greeks aspired to perfection in both body and mind, and sought a synthesis of the two poles of passion and reason. Through athletic behavior, they were able to exercise the value of perfection of body. Through philosophy, government, poetry, drama, law, logic, history, mathematics and architecture, they were able to express their desire for perfection of the mind. Through artistic portrayal of the human form they tried to achieve a synthesis of passion and reason.

The philosophy of Greek art of the Golden Age was that of moderation in all things, as represented by ‘The Winged Victory’. In sculpture, the characteristic form was

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the male nude, which later inspired Michelangelo’s Statue of David of the Renaissance. During the peak of the Classical Greek civilization, the idealized figures of Greek art and architecture exemplified order and harmony. In architecture, the most famous building was the Parthenon. To the ancient Greeks, monuments were to be treated as large sculptures. They were thus built around the same rules of symmetry and ideal proportion. Public rites took place in front of a temple, where sculpture told the story of the temple’s deity. The religion of the Classical period of Greek and Roman history was polytheistic. The gods and mythical figures of the civilization were the subjects of homage in the arts, including drawing, sculpture, and architecture. The signature city of the Greek classical era was Athens. The main contributions of the Golden Age of ancient Athens were democracy, individualism and reason. The ideals and values were transmitted from Greece to Rome, and were later revived by many cultures of Europe.

The ideals of order and solemnity repeated themselves in the art and architecture of the ancient Romans, in the European Renaissance era and in the era of Neoclassicism in 17th and early 18th century Europe.

Apollo and Daphne

 

 

 

APOLLO AND DAPHNE – TRAGIC LOVE

 

 

I was always fascinated with the Greek Gods, the myths and the legends. The story that I will share with you today is my inspiration for creating the Spring ’13 jewelry collection  called AGE OF GODS – Daphne.

It is the sad love story of Apollo and his great obsession/love with ancient Greek nymph Daphne. The curse of Apollo [ a great warrior, God of light and poetry] was brought to him when he insulted the god Eros for playing with bows and arrows – Eros was using bows and arrows to struck people into love. Arrogant warrior Apollo, having won Python, a horrible earth-dragon that was living in the area of Delphi, abruptly told Eros to leave war-like weapons to mighty warrior Gods like himself and stick to his own pastimes devaluing his duty to inflate love and passion to others. This infuriated the headstrong Eros who decided to take his revenge on the audacious Apollo.

Eros climbed on the rock of Mt Parnasus and unleashed two arrows: one sharp and gold-tipped and another blunt and lead-tipped. The sharp, gold-tipped arrow pierced the heart of Apollo inflaming his love for Daphne, a beautiful nymph, while the blunt, lead-tipped arrow struck the nymph creating an aversion for love in her heart. She was constantly rejecting the love of the glorious Apollo, who was persistently pursuing her. Daphne in order to escape him metamorphosed into a laurel tree [called daphne in Greek.]  Her skin turned into bark, her hair became leaves, and her arms transformed into branches. She stopped running as her feet became rooted  to the ground.

Apollo was heart-broken at the loss of his love Daphne.  Since he could no longer take her as his wive, he vowed to tend her as his tree, and promised that her leaves would decorate the heads of leaders as crowns, and that her leaves were also to be depicted on weapons.

Mighty Apollo also used his powers of eternal youth and immortality to render her ever green. Since then, the leaves of the Bay laurel tree have ever known to decay.

Since Apollo was a God of poetry as well, he also made laurel the symbol of tribute to poets. The laurel became therefore the symbol of the God. Pythia, the priestess in the oracle of Delphi, was chewing leaves of laurel to communicate with Apollo and give her prophesies to people.  

So sad…

The Spring ’13 jewelry collection that I created is inspired from Daphne with signature leaves and flowers all finished in beautiful green gold.

Here are a few details of my upcoming collection plus images of a very famous baroque, life-sized marble statute entitled Apollo and Daphne – sculpted by Gian Lorenzo Bernini [1622-1625.]  

More to come later…xoxoS

POSTCARD Major confrontation

 

 

Archangel Micheal 

 

In the New Testament ( Book of Revelations) archangel Michael leads God’s armies against Satan’s  forces, where in the war in heavens he defeats Satan. He is often depicted slaying a demon with his mighty sword. His chief function is ridding the world of fear and toxic energies.

                                                  http://www.susannagalanis.com Online

Call upon this archangel as a strong protector and a support system.

                                                   

Below:  Guido Reni’s Michael (in Santa Maria della Concezione church, Rome 1636) tramples Satan.

Archangel Michael is seen as a healer angel, as a protector and the leader of the army of God against the forces of evil. The Book of Revelations (12:7-9) describes a war in heaven in which Michael, being stronger, defeats Satan.

“…there was a war in heaven, Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But, he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven…”

After the conflict, Satan is thrown to earth along with the fallen angels where he (“…that ancient serpent called the devil, still tries to lead the world astray…”)

Greek god Apollo

 

 

APOLLO

“Nothing in excess” Apollo

 

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APOLLO, one of the twelve deities of Olympus is the favorite son of god Zeus and Leto  – a Titan goddess who was impregnated by Zeus during one of his numerous love affairs. He is the twin brother of goddess Artemis.

He is known as the God of Light or the God of Sun- Helios, The Archer, the God of Prophecy, the Far-shooter, the Lawgiver or the God of Order, the God of Healing, the God of Music, the God of Plague, the Gold-bladed Apollo and the God of Arts and Muses.

His main iconic identifiers are the laurel wreath around his head, the lyre, the bow, the sun and the chariot (which as the sun god, drives across the sky daily-according to the myths). God Apollo is usually described  as the “most Greek” of the Greek Gods because he is THE idealized form of KOUROS, a young man in perfected beauty and grace.

EARLY YEARS

His story begins with his mother Leto and her attempt to give birth to him and Artemis. Hera ( the official wife of God Zeus), in her jealousy had pursued Leto relentlessly. Leto searched for a place where she could give birth to the children without Hera finding her. She convinced the island of Delos to be the home of Apollo, saying that a temple would be build there. Leto waited nine days and nights to give birth to Apollo, because due to Hera’s rage, Eilithyia, the goddess of childbirth, was not able to come to Leto’s aid. Finally Iris, the messenger goddess, was send to Hera, offering her a necklace fifteen feet long. Well, jewelrey always works (even back in the Ancient world of Greece ), Eilithya was able to come to Delos, and when she did, Leto gave birth to Apollo – full grown. Apollo immediately claimed, “The lyre and the curved bow are dear to me, and I shall prophesy to men the unerring will of Zeus” (according to Homeric Hymn to Apollo.

At the tender age of four days old, Apollo showed incredible talent in archery by killing the gigantic serpent named Python (at the city of Delphi) who had been harassing his mother during pregnancy (again, according to the myths and the legends.) When Goddess Hera found our that Zeus had had another affair, she send Python to follow Leto day and night so she could not have any peace to have her children.  The monstrous Python who was said to measure several acres in length was terrorizing the city and the citizens of Delphi were glad to be rid of of her and were grateful to Apollo – later Delphi was established as the center of Apollo’s worship.

Image above, Temple of Apollo at Delphi 

Delphi was the first oracle of Greece and the district where it was located was considered the navel of the world at the time.

“Know thyself.” Apollo (written at the entrance at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi).

Following his dramatic debut with the Python, Apollo went on to become not only an unerring archer, but the best musician, poet, philosopher, law-maker and creator of legal institutions, a masterful physician, the god of prophecy and a great scholar who always spoke the truth.

More about Apollo coming soon…there is so much more to tell…

Temple of Pocedon-Sounion

A Postcard

Temple of Poceidon Sunset

• A I am doing a new post on God Pocedon, this is a prewiew.

AGE OF GODS Athena Collection Preview – Spring ’12

 

 

POST CARD Age of Gods

 

 

“The Gods are favoring us.” Unknown ancient Greek 2,500 years ago…during the AGE OF GODS

 

 

 

It is my pleasure to introduce to you a sampling of my new Spring ’12 Collection AGE of GODS Athena which was inspired to me by the glorious ancient Greek Goddess Athena.

A Post Card – Happy 2012!

” Well begun is half done.” Aristotle

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www.susannagalanis.com Online catalogue

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Happy New Year everyone! Let’s celebrate  the arrival of 2012 in style and with great expectations for an amazing new chapter with lots of love, joy, prosperity, great health and world peace!

Let’s all be grateful for our blessings – I am!

I have so much to share with you this coming year! xoxoS

NOTE: Please see my previous post about the majestic snow leopard and how we can create awareness to support these beauties in danger of extinction. For additional information please visit www.snowleopard.com

 

A Post Card HISTORY & GLAMOUR – Gods and Goddesses

 

 

POST CARD: History & Glamour

 

 

 

 

Susanna Galanis Online Click Right

 

A Post Card – Elizabeth Taylor

 

 

A POST CARD – ELIZABETH TAYLOR

 

“My ring gives me the strongest feeling of beauty.”                                                                                                                             Elizabeth Taylor

 

 

 

LEGENDARY JEWELS EXIBIT  Christies New York

 

Saturday December 3rd is nearing…and I am counting the days…

“The legendary Jewels” exibit is opening at Christies in New York City – a major jewelry event for the world of glamour! The late Elizabeth Taylor’s magnificent jewelry collection is up for sale! I can’t wait to be able to see up close  , maybe try on, the “history making” pieces that once were worn by my “idol” Elizabeth Taylor. What an experience!  Maybe, by a miracle [and I do believe in miracles] one day…I would own at least a piece!.. maybe…maybe… the tiara? or maybe a more practical piece such as the emerald cut Krupp diamond?…keep on dreaming Susanna…but again one never knows…I am very optimistic on matters such as jewelry!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Taylor once said, “Big girls need big diamonds.” She would know. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over her fairy tale lifetime full of glamour, fame, love and  passion…and Richard Burton as husband (2X) she amassed these magnificent pieces of fine jewelry – personal mementos and love tokens of obsession and affection from all her husbands…I lost count…is it seven?  Included in the selection is a set of diamond rings Richard Burton gifted her for besting him in a ping-pong game, and the 33.19 carat famous Krupp Diamond shown below.

The “Legendary Jewels” her $30 million private collection, is on view starting December 3rd and on sale on December 13 at Christies in NYC.

                                          christies.com/elizabethtaylor

 

 

“I adore wearing gems, but not because they are mine. You can’t posses radiance, but you can only admire it.”                      Elizabeth Taylor                                                                                                             

 

 

A Post Card below Inspired by History – History and Glamour! [Translation: Elizabeth Taylor – Great Inspiration!]

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As seen on Gossip Girl – Serena blue agate earrings (by special order at: www.susannagalanis@gmail.com)

GOSSIP GIRL  –  STYLE NEWS

The stunning Serena van der Woodsen [Blake Lively] another one of my favorite goddesses [please see previous posts on goddess Athena and goddess Nike] was spotted last night on Gossip Girl wearing earrings from my current Fall ’11 jewelry collection! And she looked gorgeous…like a modern-day goddess. I am very happy! What an honor. Thank you Gossip Girl!  

Thank you Serena for looking so beautiful!

I will let the images below do the talking.

Please take a look:

                                                                     

Will be back soon with more…xoxoS