Images of Myths in Classical Antiquity

The book by Susan Woodford is a brief introduction to the sanctum of ancient art, the world of interpretations and the search for the perfect form. The ancient masters lived in an era of myths and were creators of them, experimenting with different techniques and materials, arguing with the ideas and plots of authoritative mythological cycles (about the Trojan War, Heracles, the Argonauts, the heroes of Thebes, etc.). With great attention to detail and context, the author shows why works of art became not only objects of trade and luxury but also a means of interpreting historical events, political declarations, as well as sophisticated riddles and puzzles. By providing keys to the images of ancient artists, readers will learn how the world of chaos, wars, and violence was reinterpreted, how the images of monsters and killers were humanized, how touching family portraits of willful centaur monsters arose, etc. The meticulous analysis of specific images undertaken by the author will help us understand them but will not dispel their mystery; rather, it will remind us of the need to think and overcome mechanical, cliché perceptions of too familiar plots.