#caravaggio paintings images

[gingerbredman1989]

A masterfully crafted Caravaggio-inspired painting from circa 1595, capturing a powerful and emotionally charged scene. Set on a picturesque rolling hill laden with wild grass, bathed in the warm sunlight of a summer afternoon, the painting features a massively muscular man, seated with a less muscular man resting gently against his chest.

Ideogram AI

[chilledmilk]

today is my birthday! unrelatedly, i'm also an artist, and i also play dnd. as a treat for myself i wanted to post some of the art i've made (or hastily drawn during a session) of one of my dnd characters, maricious "maurice" flathollow the tiefling paladin: guardian angel, slayer of beasts, and woo-er of slime nuns.

[re-imagine]

I can't draw the fuckcicmg feet zhdjsjsnd. I think I need to make the legs beefier..

[madlori]

Hey how about some ART TALK

Art history is a bit of a hobby of mine. Last weekend I went to the Frick in Pittsburgh because they had a special exhibition we wanted to see, and in the gift shop I picked up a book that told the story of a series of acknowledged masterpieces. The first one in the book is Birth of Venus, the second is Mona Lisa, and the scream I scrumpt when I turned the page to see the third:

Let me tell you about Artemisia Fucking Gentileschi.

She was a 17th century painter and one of the first women to be admitted to a Florentian art society and is widely regarded as one of the finest of the Italian baroque painters. She was raised by her father, who was also a painter who studied Caravaggio, and early in her career she had to put up with people saying that her paintings surely must have been painted by her father (despite her father himself saying she was a peerless artist and super accomplished).

As a young woman she was raped by a colleague of her father's. Her father sued the rapist because he hadn't married her (THIS was the crime, not the rape itself, of course) and Artemisia was tortured with thumbscrews to verify her testimony. Some of the...ahem...feelings about this entire episode definitely come through in her work.

Contrary to how these stories usually go, Artemisia had a long and productive career, was well paid for her work, enjoyed the patronage of the Medici family, and traveled widely. History, however, has only recently come to appreciate her and name her among the great painters of the period.

Let's talk about THIS FUCKING PAINTING, though. Judith Beheading Holofernes. Probably her most famous work.

The story is one of Judith, a Jewish woman, who got the general of the army about to invade her city to come have dinner with her, got him drunk, and chopped his head off. Then she paraded his head out to the army, like a boss. It's been painted a number of times but this one...this one really brings the rage. Look at Judith, the strength in her arms, how she's got a look of steely concentration. If you look closely, you can see she has her knee up on the bed behind him to get more leverage. Her maidservant is helping hold him down. Neither of them look horrified or hesitant, they're ready to cut this motherfucker. (also that's definitely Artemisia as Judith. She put herself in a lot of her paintings)

It's an apt interpretation of the verse from the Book of Judith, which is admiringly succinct:

Her sandal ravished his eye, Her beauty made captive his soul, The sword passed through his neck. — Book of Judith, 16:9[7]

It's got a real "the tiger is out" energy, right?

Now let's look at the same scene, painted by Caravaggio, who was no slouch at painting, but...come on.

Judith looks like a scared teenager. She's holding him at arm's length as if that's gonna work. Her maid is a crone, lurking at her shoulder like Wormtongue. This does not, imho, compare to the power of Gentileschi's version.

Artemisia painted another image of Judith holding the severed head. And a lot of other paintings. I'm just thrilled to see this one in this book, as it's one of my favorites. We have one of her paintings here in Columbus and I always visit it when I go (when it's up, that is).

[kozachenko]

I swear to god, Zanmu has just been on my mind recently, she's taking over my fucking brain please send help

Artist's Note:

Why is it that everytime I do a drawing of Zanmu I always make the canvas size fucking huge and it ends up being a living nightmare to fucking export. I swear to god I had to go from 1200 DPI to 600 to 350.

Exporting hell aside, I loved working on this piece. With Zanmu's design, I wanted to combine all the design details that I love and have seen in other people's drawings of Zanmu and give them my own personal touches. First of all, her sleeves were inspired by @amemenojaku's design for Zanmu, and I absolutley love that detail because not only does it make her feel more regal, it also can be a callback to Satori and old hell, and also gives me the idea that Satori's fashion sense was inspired by Zanmu because IRL a lot of historical fashion was inspired by what the nobles were wearing at the time, and since Satori was around since when Old Hell used to be Hell, she probably took some wardrobe inspo from her (or it could be my headcanon that Satori could've been Zanmu's royal advisor or she was in her court or something but that theory is kinda grasping at strings from other headcanons I have, but that's for a different post). Also, the eye makeup she has was inspired by @jothelion's drawings of Zanmu, and like, I fucking love that detail because it just adds so much like omg I just love it sm.

And now for the design details I put in. I gave Zanmu tassel earrings because I think they'd look great on her. I also really like to exaggerate her hair and really try to make it look wild, as well as having little grey hairs here and there. I also try to add some wrinkles to the corners of her eyes, but TBH I don't know how visible that detail is, since the image is pretty fucking big. I also really exaggerated the tassles/strings on her outfit, since I really wanted to play around with the potential flow they could have. Also, big fan of giving Zanmu longer sleeves and pants. IDK why but I just like how it flows better. Also big fan of making her taller, idk why a lot of fanart makes her short. Also, I placed her horns closer to the front of her head as I just think placing horns in that position looks cool.

Also, if you're wondering about the halo, I took some inspiration from a few of Caravaggio's paintings where he often depicts saints with this very thin halo around the top of their heads. I just liked that detail a lot so I thought I'd include it.

Fun fact, I was originally gonna make the four skeletons Chiyari, Biten, Enoko, and Hisami but I didn't like the prospect of having to draw four more characters, so I chose to replace them with skeletons (if you wanna get silly with it, Zanmu got Hisami to kidnap Aya, set up some skeletons with bones from her bone collection and told her to take a picture of her).

I kinda gave up on Zanmu's feet and the one skeleton's hands (as if drawing hands normally is hard enough but NOPE, HAD TO MAKE IT LIVING HELL FOR MYSELF BY MAKING IT A SKELETON) and the quality of the image may suffer because of how much I had to fucking compress it (Zanmu's presence alone was enough to make the computer lose all of it's desire and motivation to export the drawing of her lmao), but I have been hacking at this piece for a while now, plus I need to learn when to call it quits when it comes to drawings). Also as I was fixing up the hands there was one spot where I forgot to clean up with the sketch and I can't fucking unsee that now and it's going to fucking bother me until I fix it but fixing it requires going back and putting my computer through hell so yeah.

So yeah, that's about all I have to say with this drawing, it was fun but also a nightmare lol

[pmamtraveller]

THE NIGHT WATCH /1642/ by REMBRANDT VAN RIJN

(why it's famous)

This painting is famous for several reasons. One of them being it's a huge piece (143 x 172 inches) that occupies the entire wall of the room where it's displayed. Because of its large size, all the details that would be hard to see from an image of the painting are more visible. Originally, the painting was even larger, but it got cropped on all four sides before it was moved to a new space. Unfortunately, the pieces cut off got lost to history

The composition employs chiaroscuro, which is the strong contrast between light and dark. It is a technique developed by Leonardo da Vinci and popularised by Caravaggio. Some say the light colours in the painting are so clear and vivid, almost like it's pouring out into the room where the painting is exhibited. The figures highlighted are done so purposely by the artist for the viewer to notice them.

You'll notice nothing is static about the figures. It's not your usual military painting it was very radical during its time. The civic guards are in motion, in the process of getting in formation to start the march. The man in black in the foreground, the captain, is giving orders to his lieutenant next to him.

The painting has had its fair share of vandals over the years. During the Great War I (WWI), an unemployed man who couldn't get work attacked the painting with a knife. In 1975, another unemployed man, this time a schoolteacher in training, attacked the painting with a bread knife. In 1990, a man sprayed acid onto the painting. Luckily, the painting survived and got repaired.

[thinkingimages]

Gherasim LUCA (Bucharest, 1913 - Paris, 1994)

Madeleine, undated, autograph manuscript, images cut from magazines with autograph poem, ms 860

Of Romanian origin, Gherasim Luca established close ties with French artistic circles in the early 1930s, most notably with the Surrealist group, before settling permanently in France in 1953.

Described by Gilles Deleuze as "the greatest poet of the French language", Luca developed a work of "limit-hero", to use the title of one of his works (1953), where the deconstruction of language is based on the refusal of political, identity or ethical categories and the recourse, twenty-five years before Deleuze and Félix Guattari, to the notion of anti-Œdipe. His atypical path, where the creative process is inseparable from his personal life, naturally led him to transpose his poetic experiments into the visual arts. In particular, from 1945 onwards, Luca began a series of collages - in which this autograph manuscript is included - made from photographs of various illustrations or, more importantly, reproductions of paintings, cut into squares of equal dimensions. Luca then glued these squares side by side to form a new, original and surprising image, following a process deeply inspired by the Surrealists. He gave these works the name "cubomania", a way of recalling the founding role of the square shape but also probably a way of mocking the heirs of cubism. Beyond the influence of the Surrealists and Marcel Duchamp's scandalous L.H.O.Q. (Musée National d'Art Moderne, Paris, 1919), Luca's "cubomanias" feature a personal dialogue with the most famous works of art of the past, from Leonardo da Vinci to the van Eyck brothers, Caravaggio and Ingres. This manuscript joins one of them acquired in 2019, Madonna of the Bourmestre Meyer (after Holbein).

[ilikethisacompletelynormalamount]

panavisionofficial

“Yeah, I can't remember what we shot with. I have to call Erik Brown. He's my lifeline,” jokes legendary #DOP Robert Elswit ASC, as we sat down to discuss Ripley.

“I've worked with [director] Steven [Zaillian] before, and like all cinematographers, he believes that the way something's lit is actually a way to affect people's emotions. There are a lot of directors who actually don't believe that, but Steven is one of those who feels very strongly that there's an emotional message that the lighting in a movie delivers.

I had a copy of the Patricia Highsmith series of the latest series of Ripley books with these beautiful covers and black and white images, and Steven said that as he was writing, he just saw the whole thing in monochrome. As we got more into it, and as I read the script, I realized that a big part of the agenda of the backstory is Caravaggio. Steven and I would talk about how Caravaggio invented the whole idea of how the light is playing an emotional, dramatic purpose in his paintings. What was lighting the people and the objects in the room was very selectively realized— faces, arms, gestures—all almost theatrical looking. The lighting dominates the color palette. It dominates even the design in places. There are strong graphic images, but even if you look at them in black and white, which we were in the series, it's all about the light, which is actually a line that one of the characters says.

I didn’t want [lenses] that were too sharp and I think that's something that Dan [Sasaki] reacted to. He made something that was wide open but with no greasy, sharp, surveillance photography look. I don't know how [Dan Sasaki] does it, but we shot the whole series with just five lenses. Then there are the zooms that he made when we did the water scenes.

You can't make something like Ripley look like Ripley unless everybody's all in. It's the production, it’s [production designer] David Gropman, the great costume designers on the show, Gianni Casalnuovo and Maurizio Millenotti. Their sense of understanding of what tonal structure meant, and how to achieve an interesting kind of contrast of pictorial style in this series was essential."

[elodee]

HERMIT A DAY MAY - DAY 14

Docm77 x Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

I drew Doc in the style of Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust! And it took like 12 hours!

I picked this style for Doc because Bloodlust has the most detailed, over-the-top dramatic animation style I've seen in a long time and I thought it would be very funny to render Doc in a way that was 100x more extra than any of the other hermits.

If you want to learn more about Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust and see my style references, go below the cut!

(fundraiser for Gamer's Outreach)

Bloodlust is a dramatic, very gothic movie about a romance between a vampire and a human and the vampire hunter who is hunting them down. I won't get into the plot here, since it is very involved, but it is melancholic and Dramatic with a capital D. It is somewhat reminiscent of Dracula, but in a post-apocalyptic fantasy future.

The main takeaway for me is that it is a BEAUTIFUL movie. Seriously, still images to not do it justice. The entire thing is animated like a baroque painting come to life. Like Caravaggio meets anime, for real. Go watch some clips, you'll see what I mean.

Also nearly everyone is like, shrink-wrapped into their clothes. That wasn't just a choice I made for The Goat, that's just what people in this movie look like.

Style references:

Everything looks like this all the time.

Everything is very detailed too - look at those lashes!

Font from one of the posters

BONUS: The Lineart! Because I am very proud of it and some of the detail is lost in the final render.

[1dcommunityficrecs]

Time Travel Rec List!

No fooling, today we have 9 time travel fics for your reading pleasure! Three are short and sweet, under 10k words; three are moderate at around 50k, and three are behemoths of over 100k! We also have a rarepair in the form of a Ziam canon-divergence time-travel fix-it fic.

Please enjoy, leave comments and kudos, and get ready for the next theme (as soon as I can decide what it is...)

The Second Hands Unwinds by kingsofeverything (51573, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

Louis Tomlinson is one of the first members of NASA's top secret Chrono Exploration Program. When things go wrong and he's sent further back in time than planned, he has no other option than to show up on his ex-boyfriend's doorstep.

Reccer says: I think everyone knows this fic, NASA au, but how can we not recommend it? The plot is great, it's emotional, it's really good. Sp, so beatuiful, so immersive, the characters are written perfectly and it absolutely made me cry.

De amore ex tempore by Persephoneflouwers (101471, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

Or: the Middle Ages AU where Harry is a philosopher, whose thoughts happen five centuries too soon and Louis is a painter, whose art happens five centuries too late. Or: the Time Travel AU where alternate versions of themselves live simultaneously in different realities and their paths collide every time, until somehow, they converge into one.

Reccer says: Much of the story takes place during the Florentine Renaissance, at the end of the Middle Ages, and it's beautiful and well-written. I was at the Louvre a while back and while looking at the Caravaggio and Trevento paintings, images of De Amore Ex Tempore came to mind. Beyond that, I also really liked the story, the meeting of this Louis from the future with a Harry from the Middle Ages. It just goes to show that, whatever the era, they're bound to find each other!

There’s Such a Lot of World to See by Crinkle-Eyed-Boo (125000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Harry dies twice, but it all works out and has a happy ending!

Doctor Who AU with Louis as The Doctor and Harry as the Companion, inspired by the Impossible Girl story from series 7.

Reccer says: It has everything you need! Thrills, angst, romance, smut, and time travel!

billow and breeze (islands and seas) by Pleasinglouis (102506, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence

Two words sum it up: Outlander AU.

Reccer says: And here again, two words are enough to recommend: Outlander AU...

Old Photographs & Times I'll Remember by Jaerie (53918, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

A camera, a suitcase, and a relationship forged through time.

Reccer says: It's beautifully written and poignant.

i know i've grown (but i can't wait to go home) by LiveLaughLoveLarry (7230, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Violence, murder, injury (not graphic)

Louis falls down a hill and into the past. A historical castle is suddenly full of life, including a hot prince -- and his evil twin.

Reccer says: I really enjoy the use of language and speech patterns between the modern Louis and the historical Harry!

Timeless by babyhoneyhslt (3867, General, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

Based on "Timeless" by Taylor Swift. Harry wanders into an antique shop and finds himself pulled back in time, through a series of lifetimes. And in every one -- there's Louis.

Reccer says: I'm always a sucker for the idea that in every timeline and every universe these two would find each other -- and getting to have that multiple times in one story just cements that.

saw some things on the other side by we_are_the_same (61352, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence

When Louis moves into the mansion he’s inherited from his great grandfather, he has a plan that consists of three things. One, he’s going to finish writing the next novel in his series. Two, he’s finally going to get over his ex-fiancé. And three, while battling writer’s block and having to resist the urge to kill off the main character in his books – the hot detective based on his ex-fiancé – he’s going to restore the mansion to its former glory. Unfortunately, Louis’ plan doesn’t take into account the fact that instead of writing murder mysteries, he will find himself in one.

Reccer says: I love the way the writer manages the time/dimension travel trope!

(I pray to God I didn’t waste) all my good years by we_are_the_same (6864, General, Zayn Malik/Liam Payne) - fic post Warnings: Does "post-march 25th" count as a warning?

Liam goes to sleep in a world where Zayn has just left One Direction. He wakes up somewhere quite different.

Reccer says: The angst of it all!!

[talonabraxas]

Medusa Spitblossoms Medusa: A Mythological Tale of Maiden to Monstrosity

Medusa, a name that evokes both fascination and terror, is one of the most intriguing figures in Greek mythology. This captivating Gorgon, known for her hair of serpents and the ability to turn mortals into stone, has been the subject of countless artistic interpretations, symbolizing power, femininity, and the complex nature of humanity. Although Medusa is not considered a goddess, she is an important and unique character from Greek mythology, specifically one of the Gorgons, three sisters known for their monstrous appearance.

While Medusa is a notable figure in Greek mythology and has been the subject of various artistic interpretations and symbolism, she is not worshipped as a goddess in the traditional sense. Over time, Medusa myth has been used as a symbol to protect and ward off the negative, representing a dangerous threat meant to deter other dangerous threats, an image of evil to repel evil. In this blog post, we will delve into the myth of Medusa and explore the profound symbolism associated with her enigmatic persona.

Medusa, a name that evokes both fascination and terror, is one of the most intriguing figures in Greek mythology. This captivating Gorgon, known for her hair of serpents and the ability to turn mortals into stone, has been the subject of countless artistic interpretations, symbolizing power, femininity, and the complex nature of humanity. Although Medusa is not considered a goddess, she is an important and unique character from Greek mythology, specifically one of the Gorgons, three sisters known for their monstrous appearance.

While Medusa is a notable figure in Greek mythology and has been the subject of various artistic interpretations and symbolism, she is not worshipped as a goddess in the traditional sense. Over time, Medusa myth has been used as a symbol to protect and ward off the negative, representing a dangerous threat meant to deter other dangerous threats, an image of evil to repel evil. In this blog post, we will delve into the myth of Medusa and explore the profound symbolism associated with her enigmatic persona.

The Mythical Origins of Medusa:

Medusa Greek mythology was once a beautiful mortal woman with flowing hair. However, due to a series of unfortunate events, she was cursed by the goddess Athena, transforming her into a monstrous creature. Her once luscious locks were replaced by serpents, and her gaze became the deadly weapon that turned any who looked upon her to stone. This tale of transformation and divine punishment carries deep symbolic meaning, resonating with themes of beauty, envy, and the consequences of hubris.

Medusa Spiritual Meaning:

While Medusa mythology is often depicted as a terrifying monster, she also embodies a potent symbol of feminine power. Her serpentine hair represents primordial wisdom, connected to the chthonic forces of nature and the untamed aspects of femininity. Medusa challenges traditional notions of beauty and subverts the male gaze, offering an alternative archetype of strength and resilience for women throughout history. In modern times, she has become an icon for female empowerment, encouraging women to embrace their unique qualities and reclaim their narrative.

Medusa in Art and Literature:

Throughout the ages, artists and writers have been captivated by Medusa's enigmatic allure, immortalizing her in various forms. From ancient Greek pottery to Renaissance paintings and contemporary sculptures, Medusa's image continues to inspire creative interpretations. Notable works such as Caravaggio's "Medusa" and Bernini's "Medusa Shield" showcase the enduring fascination with this mythological figure. Furthermore, Medusa's presence in literature, from Ovid's "Metamorphoses" to contemporary novels, reflects her enduring relevance as a complex symbol of power, desire, and the human condition.

Medusa as a Metaphor for the Human Psyche:

Medusa symbolism as a figure of feminine power, Medusa also represents the intricate workings of the human psyche. The concept of "petrification" associated with her gaze can be interpreted as the fear of facing our deepest fears and desires, the paralysis that comes with inaction, or the consequences of avoiding self-reflection. Medusa reminds us that embracing and integrating our shadow selves is a crucial step towards personal growth and self-actualization.

Medusa and Poseidon

Medusa greek mythology was described as a beautiful mortal woman before she was cursed. She was said to have flowing golden or auburn hair, which was considered her most striking feature. Her beauty was so captivating that she caught the attention of various suitors and even garnered the interest of the sea god Poseidon.

However, after an encounter with Poseidon in the temple of Athena, Medusa's fate took a tragic turn. According to the myth, Poseidon raped Medusa within the temple of Athena, defiling the sacred space. As a result of this violation, Athena punished Medusa rather than Poseidon. The enraged Athena cursed Medusa, transforming her appearance into a grotesque form to punish her. Her beautiful hair was turned into serpents, her eyes became glowing and petrifying, and her once attractive countenance became monstrous.

It's important to note that descriptions of Medusa's appearance can vary in different interpretations and artistic depictions. Artists and storytellers throughout history have depicted Medusa in various ways, emphasizing different aspects of her monstrous transformation. However, the common thread in the myth is that she was initially a beautiful woman who was tragically transformed into a horrifying creature as a result of a curse bestowed upon her.

Perseus and Medusa

The story of Medusa and Perseus is a well-known tale in Greek mythology. It involves the hero Perseus and his quest to slay the monstrous Gorgon Medusa.

Perseus was the son of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Danaë, a mortal woman. When Perseus was a baby, an oracle prophesied that he would one day kill his grandfather, Acrisius. To prevent this, Acrisius locked Danaë and Perseus in a chest and cast them into the sea. They were eventually rescued by a fisherman and brought to the island of Seriphos, where they lived.

As Perseus grew older, King Polydectes of Seriphos became infatuated with Danaë and desired to marry her. Perseus, reluctant to see his mother wedded to the king, accepted a dangerous task proposed by Polydectes. The king requested the head of Medusa, the only mortal Gorgon, as a gift from Perseus.

The Gorgons, Medusa included, were monstrous creatures with snakes for hair and the power to turn people to stone with their gaze. Medusa, in particular, possessed this petrifying ability. To aid him in his quest, Perseus received various gifts from the gods, including a reflective shield from Athena, winged sandals from Hermes, and a helm of invisibility from Hades.

Using these divine gifts, Perseus embarked on his journey. He managed to find the three Gorgons, including Medusa, in their lair. Avoiding direct eye contact with Medusa, he used his shield as a mirror to observe her without turning to stone. With a swift strike, Perseus beheaded Medusa while she slept. The winged horse Pegasus and the giant Chrysaor, both born from Medusa's blood, emerged from her severed neck.

On his way back, Perseus encountered various adventures, including rescuing Andromeda, a princess, from a sea monster. Eventually, he returned to Seriphos and used Medusa's head as a weapon against his enemies. In one incident, he petrified King Polydectes and his court, avenging his mother's mistreatment.

Perseus later reunited with his grandfather, Acrisius. However, the prophecy came true when Perseus accidentally killed Acrisius during a discus-throwing contest. As a result, Perseus fulfilled the prophecy, but his heroic feats brought him renown and established his place in Greek mythology.

The myth of Medusa and Perseus is often seen as a tale of heroism, triumph over monstrous forces, and the fulfillment of prophecies. It showcases Perseus' courage, resourcefulness, and divine assistance in his quest to slay Medusa and the subsequent events that unfolded as a result.

Medusa's Children

According to Greek mythology, Medusa goddess did have offspring. After Perseus, the hero who beheaded Medusa, two creatures emerged from her severed neck: Pegasus and Chrysaor.

Pegasus was a winged horse known for his incredible speed and association with poetry and inspiration. He became a famous mythological figure in his own right and was tamed by the hero Bellerophon, who rode him on various adventures.

Chrysaor, on the other hand, was a giant or a warrior with a golden sword. His name translates to "Golden Blade." Chrysaor is not as widely known or featured in mythology as Pegasus, but he is often mentioned as the sibling of the winged horse.

It's important to note that Medusa's offspring were not conceived in the traditional sense but were born from her blood or the remnants of her body after her death. They played significant roles in subsequent mythological narratives and were seen as the legacy of Medusa, carrying aspects of her power and essence.

Was Medusa Immortal?

In Greek mythology, Medusa was not immortal. Like many other figures in Greek mythology, she was a mortal who possessed certain abilities and encountered divine beings. Medusa was originally a beautiful mortal woman, but due to a curse placed upon her by the goddess Athena, she was transformed into a monstrous creature with snakes for hair and the ability to turn people to stone with her gaze.

Medusa's immortality, or lack thereof, can be interpreted differently depending on the version of the myth. Some sources suggest that she was mortal and eventually slain by the hero Perseus, who used a mirror-like shield to avoid looking directly at her and beheaded her while she slept. In this interpretation, Medusa's death implies that she was not immortal.

However, other versions of the myth propose that Medusa, along with her sisters, possessed a degree of immortality. They were depicted as beings who could not be killed conventionally due to their monstrous nature. Their immortality was tied to their monstrous form, which persisted despite any injuries inflicted upon them. It was only through a specific act, such as Perseus using his reflective shield to decapitate her, that Medusa could be defeated.

Overall, the concept of Medusa's immortality can vary depending on the interpretation of the myth. In some versions, she was mortal and eventually slain, while in others, she possessed a form of immortality that required a specific method of defeating her.

Is Medusa a Goddess?

Medusa is not a goddess; she's a figure from Greek mythology. She was originally a beautiful woman turned into a Gorgon with snakes for hair. Medusa is often associated with her petrifying gaze.

What Does Medusa Symbolize?

The Medusa meaning is multifaceted and can be interpreted through various lenses, including mythology, psychology, and symbolism. Here are a few key aspects of the meaning associated with Medusa:

What Does Medusa Represent?

Transformation and Metamorphosis: Medusa's story revolves around a significant transformation. She was once a beautiful mortal woman who, due to a curse, became a grotesque figure with snakes for hair and the power to turn people to stone. Her tale represents the concept of metamorphosis, both physically and symbolically. It reflects the potential for profound changes in one's life and the transformative power that lies within.

Complexity and Duality: Medusa embodies the complexity and duality of human nature. On one hand, she is depicted as a monstrous figure capable of petrifying others. On the other hand, she was once a beautiful woman who faced unjust punishment. This duality reflects the intricate nature of humanity, showcasing how individuals can possess both light and dark aspects within themselves.

Reflection and Self-Exploration: Medusa's gaze, which turned people to stone, can be seen as a metaphor for self-reflection and the consequences of avoiding or denying one's own truth. Medusa prompts individuals to confront their inner fears, desires, and shadows. Her story encourages deep introspection, acceptance, and the integration of all aspects of oneself.

Archetypal and Symbolic Representation: Medusa has become an archetypal figure, representing various themes and symbols. These include femininity, power dynamics, wisdom, protection, transformation, and the embodiment of the wild and untamed forces of nature. Her symbolism transcends time and continues to resonate with individuals seeking to understand and express different facets of the human experience.

Medusa in Modern Witchcraft

Medusa's role in witchcraft varies depending on the specific tradition or belief system being explored. It's important to note that Medusa herself is a figure from Greek mythology, while witchcraft encompasses a wide range of practices and beliefs that can be found in different cultures throughout history.

In some modern forms of witchcraft, Medusa energy may be invoked or revered as a symbol of feminine power, transformation, and protection. She is seen as a representation of the wild, untamed aspects of nature and the feminine divine. Some witches may draw inspiration from her story to connect with their own inner strength, resilience, and the ability to face challenges.

In certain magical practices, Medusa's image or symbolism might be incorporated into rituals, spells, or charms for specific purposes. For example, her serpentine hair might be seen as a potent symbol for the awakening of kundalini energy or as a representation of the transformative power of the serpent archetype.

It's essential to recognize that witchcraft is a diverse and multifaceted spiritual path, and individuals or groups within witchcraft traditions may interpret and incorporate Medusa's symbolism differently. Medusa's role in witchcraft is often subjective and open to personal interpretation, reflecting the practitioner's unique beliefs and intentions.

[writinglittlebeasts]

"the new moon is in three days, and with every infinitesimally slimmer sliver of the moon at night ramsey feels himself become an animal-- one so filled with despair that he could be pushed to desperate measures."

░░░░░░░ DEVIL DOGS ░░░░░░░

GENRE/RATING: horror romance/adult

WARNINGS: explicit sexuality, dubious consent, explicit violence and gore, animal death, child abuse, religious abuse, child injury and death, parent death, alcohol, smoking, tba

SUMMARY: sixteen years ago the town of montage, nebraska was unsettled by a series of violent animal deaths and sightings of strange beasts in the woods. perhaps most unsettled of all was ramsey hollowary, whose best friend hazel ashfort had transformed into a werewolf before his eyes. and ramsey made a mistake when he told his parents, who rallied the rest of the townspeople and killed the ashforts in their home. hazel escaped, and ramsey chased him down, but he couldn't follow through.

now ramsey travels the country with his father, pursuing their divine calling as werewolf hunters. stories of a monster killing livestock lead them to rory, nebraska, where ramsey meets hazel thompson, a man too familiar to be anybody but his childhood friend. in trying to prove his own suspicion wrong, he only further convinces himself that this is his hazel, and that he doesn't want to kill him.

STATUS: outlined, drafting

TAG: #dd

image credits under the cut

paintings used (top left -> bottom right)

el sueño de los caballos azules, jordi garriga

saint jerome writing, caravaggio

where did i put the tickets, albert beck wenzell

wara!, krzysztof powałka

green trio, salman toor

the temptation of sir percival, arthur hacker

the center image surrounding the text is "the werewolf or the cannibal" attributed to lucas cranach the elder

[whowantsnachos]

school’s over for me, but i definitely think one of the highlights of the year was writing a short essay on this poster of frank castle for daredevil s2 for my AP lang class and getting 100% lmao

(essay below if you’re interested lol)

Movie Posters: The True Mastermind or The True Downfall?

In the past decade, the echo of complaint that there’s nothing to watch on TV has become monotonous. You may find yourself scrolling through streaming services to find a new movie or TV show to watch, rather than the ones you’ve already seen a hundred times. You want to find just one thing that catches your eye in the myriad of options, but before you know it, half an hour has gone by with no such luck. The clear answer as to why lies in the mundane poster previews for these films. However, there have been some recent outliers. For example, in 2016, Netflix released the second season of the series, Daredevil, along with several promotion posters. One of these posters depicts Frank Castle, also known as The Punisher, holding a gun in one hand and Daredevil’s mask in the other. Taking a closer look, this pose resembles the painting, David with the Head of the Goliath, created by the Italian artist, Caravaggio. This depiction of Frank makes his characteristics and motives establish a darker, but more current representation of David’s story in the Book of Samuel in the Bible.

In the Book of Samuel, David, a young Israelite, is chosen to face the Goliath, an enemy of Israel, with no armor and only brings a stick, sling, and stones. David ends up defeating Goliath and beheads it with its own sword. Frank, like David, wants justice by defeating his enemies. He arrives in Hell’s Kitchen to get revenge on groups that he believes were responsible for the deaths of his family. From the start, he demonstrates that he has a clear motive of what he wants, and he prefers to tackle his obstacles directly. However, for him, this means getting rid of criminals off the streets permanently. Unlike many Marvel characters, Frank doesn’t have any special suits, technology, or magic to meet his goals. Rather, he relies on himself and his own military training, similar to David bringing very little to defeat Goliath. Along with this, both men represent the idea of wanting to fix broken dynamics in their current setting. David wants freedom for Israel, and Frank wants to fight against the idea of living passively against injustices. In the poster, Daredevil’s mask taking the place of Goliath’s head represents the idea of defeating the injustices that Frank believes Daredevil maintains by not permanently getting rid of crime. By using these parallels, the viewer can recognize the darker tone of the show and the motives behind Frank’s character, while still being intrigued by how the story will progress.

Nowadays, this kind of imagery is not as prevalent as it used to be. Within the past year, many posters all follow the same superficial formula: the main characters standing around each other, not looking at the camera, while a blown up image draws your eyes to the center. Because this pattern has been done so many times over the years, all of the films start to blend in with each other, losing the audience’s interest. With the decrease in these new changes, it is evident, now more than ever, what once was a sophisticated representation of film has now turned into a cash grab.

[yujeong]

Hello everyone. I'm currently losing my mind.

BOC released a new teaser for the final episode of DFF, in order to promote their live event for it and it gave me so many thoughts. In case you haven't seen it, it's this one on Instagram (they've also posted it on Twitter).

It's so trippy and cool and it gave us a lot of good shots of all the characters and what haunts them in regards to Non, but I'll focus on Tee and White, because I have my biases and that's so valid of me.

(I'll assume everything in the trailer is symbolic, like in the first trailer they had released and do my analysis with that assumption in mind.)

Long post ahead:

After we get a brief montage of moments we've already seen in the show with some beautiful background music (it's this one, I love it), we see the brothers and then we start seeing everyone's fears. We see Fluke being scared of the police catching him, we see Top being scared of a haunting, bloody Non chasing him in the forest and then,

we see Tee.

Tee is holding Non's knife in his hands, looking arguably disgusted with it (with himself). The scene cuts to three consecutive visuals which you have to pause the teaser to see clearly. I tried my best here, apologies if the quality is bad.

Tee feels guilt for what happened to Non. I think everyone can understand this by now. He observes the knife in his hands drowning in this feeling, and it creates the image of himself pointing the knife directly onto Non's stomach, who's wearing the T-shirt he wore the day he got drugged and taken away to Tee's uncle. It's very intriguing to me how Non seems to either be trying to stop him or urging Tee to stab him. We'll find out soon enough what's the case.

But the real winner is the two images after that.

Because they involve White.

OK first things first, the shot is gorgeous. I love the colors and the framing and everything about it.

They're inside what seems to be a gaming room, which I'll assume is where they probably met, based on the Without Me MV BOC put out a few weeks ago.

(Notice how the color pallette is the same, too)

Tee is wearing his school uniform (stuck in the past, stuck to Non), while White is wearing the clothes from the cabin (in the present, away from Non but not really). They already are in two different timelines, which is also evident by their positions - Tee is a few steps behind White in the visual.

What caught my attention, besides everything else, was those shiny things on the floor. I can't see them very well, but in my opinion, they're condom wrappers. They go all the way back, symbolizing the duration of the relationship between Tee and White.

The interesting thing here, to me, is how they stop just before Tee's body, and then reappear after him, in front of White, with some of them dipped in blood.

A lot of people, me included, think NonWhite is a possibility, which makes this choice here very interesting. I'll grab onto it with two hands and wait to see what will be revealed tomorrow.

Speaking of Non, I think it's fair to assume the blood on the floor is Non's blood, which makes White staring directly into it become another version of Non, narrative wise. Both innocent boys entangled in Tee's life, both suffering because of Tee. My good friend @wretchedamaranth told me it reminded them of this painting of Narcissus by Caravaggio: White is looking at himself, as if the blood has become a mirror.

Which makes the next visual even more telling: blood separated by a thin line (it's almost blurred but it isn't, White becomes Non becomes White in Tee's eyes). On the right, the big amount is Non's, on the left, White's shadow is creeping into the shot.

It's White's blood. White is going to die.

We get zero things on White besides this. Absolutely none. Does this mean White is indeed a bystander in all of this? Should we take the words of Fuaiz here at face value?

(Source: DFF BTS Ep10)

Fuaiz could be talking about the scene we have seen, not what will come after. But he could just as well be talking in general about White as a character.

All I have to say is: Brace yourselves, fellow TeeWhite fans. We're in for a tragedy.

[lady-phasma]

I can't be on tumblr any more today until I watch the next episode of IWTV. Seriously, Armand is one of my favorite characters from the Chronicles and apparently this episode is almost all his. I very rarely let my Anne Rice nerd out on main but I have been a fan for about 28 years.

I became an art historian for many reasons, but Caravaggio was probably one of the biggest, even though I did not specialize in his work. I credit Anne Rice with teaching me about my first Caravaggio: when Lestat first meets Armand, he is reminded of this work.

"...the countenance of a god it seemed, a Cupid out of Caravaggio, seductive yet ethereal, with auburn hair and dark brown eyes." The Vampire Lestat, p. 200

Cropped because Tumblr - full image in link

Love Conquers All, 1601-1602 - Caravaggio

I have seen almost two thirds of Caravaggio's extant paintings at this point in my life. I hope to see all of them one day (excluding one which is privately owned). Unfortunately, this painting is in Berlin and I have not been able to see it yet. There have been many other factors in my life which led me to art history but Caravaggio and George de la Tour are the first I can remember.

Most of my Anne Rice nerdiness will remain on my side blog, but I felt compelled to share since Armand is so prominent this season.

[nearer-than-the-eye]

LITTLE SAINT

listen Ahi giustizia di Dio! tante chi stipa nove travaglie e pene quant’ io viddi? e perché nostra colpa sì ne scipa?

"Ah, Justice of God, who heaps up such strange punishment and pain as I saw there? and why do our sins so waste us?" For Santino D'Antonio: John Wick's bitter ex, my most beloved villain, and whose name means sacred or little saint.

___

John Wick 2 may have come out nearly a decade ago, but being a Santino girl is a chronic condition. Cover and track list images are details from Caravaggio's Bacchus, and the epigraph is from Canto VIII of Inferno, translated by Robert and Jean Hollander.

Some extended thoughts about my process and choice of epigraph and cover under the read more!

This playlist mostly started because I was listening to "Young Caesar 2000," said to myself, wow, this would be a great Santino song, and put it alone on a new playlist. From there, for about a year, I'd throw on anything that particularly reminded me of Santino, songs that felt, not like they described him, but that they might narrate part of his inner monologue and feeling. Some John/Santino vibes starting slipping in there (almost inevitably), but I knew I wanted to keep things really closely tied to how Santino understands himself. I narrowed things down, did some ordering for the overall arc and (hopefully) smooth transitions, and here we are!

Essential to my understanding of Santino (and thus this playlist's formation) is NeverwinterThistle's Unholy Union and asuralucier's The Man You Want to Be, both of which you should absolutely run, not walk, to read.

I'll let the tracklist mostly speak for itself, but I hopefully captured Santino's arrogance and the fundamental emptiness and deep insecurity that arrogance covers. I really do think John is something real and true for Santino, in a world full of posturing, but he eventually cannot resist instrumentalizing John, just like everyone else. JW 2 is one of the JW movies most pessimistic about masculinity (if not THE most pessimistic), and the arc of this playlist would certainly be very different without Mitksi's "I'm Your Man." Which is Mitski's most pessimistic song about masculinity! So it all works out.

The title -- The fact that Santino's name means "little saint" has fascinated me since my first cursory google search that delivered this factoid, and I've always kept it in my back pocket when thinking about Santino as a character. He's always the little brother. His petulance and pettiness is so essential to his character, and it's, of course, what makes him such a great foil to John (who imagines himself as a rational actor, but has his matching streak of the petulance). Santino inherits all this splendor, and all he can do is try and claw out more and more. A petty saint, and certainly never a god.

Why Bacchus? -- Well, I was trying to get a good film still for the cover and eventually gave up, so then I went to go find something appropriately aesthetic for a playlist cover. I was going to do a Dutch Golden Age still life bc that's what I'm writing about rn and lushness (and rot) is so essential to Santino, but then I was like. this guy is Italian. SUPER Italian. Who's an Italian with dramatic shadows and lush still lifes? And thus Caravaggio. Bacchus because revelry, excess, beauty, ect....also the invitation of the painting--he's holding out the goblet to you, asking you to join him. But mostly because it's beautiful.

Why Dante? -- I KNEW this bitch had to have an epigraph from Inferno once I realized this was going to be a real playlist. I mean, speaking of pessimism! The Divine Comedy feels so crazy to read as a modern reader bc it's like. yeah all this suffering is God's perfect justice. That guy eating his own shit is part of the divine plan. Which, to me, lines up really well with my read on masculinity in the JW movies--perfect, unchangeable, and committing you to endless suffering.

Alright, let's really get into it. This tercet ("Ah, Justice of God, who heaps up / such strange punishment and pain as I saw there? / and why do our sins so waste us?") come early in Canto 7, as Virgil and Dante (our POV character and protagonist) leave the third circle of Hell, Gluttony, and enter the fourth circle, Avarice and Prodigality ("Why do you squander...Why do you hoard" is probably the most famous quote from this circle). If Santino was to end up anywhere, it would be in one of those two circles, so I enjoy that this is the point in the text Dante asks these two questions!

Speaking of: despite God's perfection, Dante sure loves to question what he sees in hell and then...not resolve those questions in any way. It's interesting to see that "who heaps up / such strange punishment and pain as I saw there?" is a question addressed to the "Justice of God" when. well. the Justice of God is the thing heaping up these strange punishments and pain!

Dante seems unaware of the paradox, here, which has a real resonance for me in the way Santino is just like, well, I HAVE to blow up your house, John! I HAVE to put out a hit on you after you fulfill the marker, John! But to point to the times he acted out of compassion (not calling in John's marker during his retirement) would completely undermine that logic. It says "there are some things more important than power," but if Santino acknowledged that, then he wouldn't be able kill his sister.

Dante can't walk through hell and say with his whole chest, "I don't think it should be like this, actually" and still trust and love God, so he doesn't. Santino can't believe "more power will make me more happy, our culture says so," and also consciously acknowledge that it's the culture under the Table (and his father!!! his god!!!) that has pitted him against his sister his whole life, that has instilled in him values that ultimately leave him empty. So he doesn't! And he dies trapped in that paradox.

And then that second question. "And why do our sins so waste us?" UGH. ugh. Dante. You fucking hit me hard with this one. This is the line that made me choose this tercet. There's so much to Santino, so much beauty, so much divinity--but our sins waste us. All that power is used only in pursuit of more power, and, in the end, he's destroyed by that pursuit. The first two lines of the tercet key into culture and the way we contort our selves to fit into culture, but this last line is just an exclamation of the tragedy. Why? we ask, and nobody answers.