Pandora in Art and Culture
According to our understanding of Greek mythology, Pandora was thefirst woman created by the gods and given to the humans. According tovarious versions of the myth she was a true gift to them, or a trap, oreven a punishment for accepting forbidden fire. One way or another, she wasgifted with great beauty and important skills and charms. Pandora's veryname means "All Gifted," and suggests that the gods were most generous toher and to humans through her. However, she was also gifted with a magicjar she was instructed never to open. (Over time this jar was changed intoa box in most retellings) When her curiosity ot the better of her and sheopened the box, all the ills of the world were released. At the bottom of This archetypical story of how woman infected the world with evil isclosely related, and one might even say identical, to the Judeo-Christianstory of Eve and the forbidden fruit. Historically Pandora has beenconsistently morphed with Eve in retellings and art. As with her Judeo-Christian counterpart, the way that society has approached Pandora and herstory are a sort of litmus test for the way that society approaches women
to hold the food (bios) from theearth. One paintingof Pandora that survives from this era is "Eva Prima Pandora" by JeanCousin le Pere. This is obviously a reference to theconnection between Pandora and Eve which, in case one missed noticing inthe subject matter, is also made obvious by the small sign hanging overhead which reads "Eva Prima Pandora" (Eve the First Pandora). Yet despite the fact that most of the classical art dealing withPandora addresses her conception, she is not always shown being statue likeand passive. " (Webster) It seems that at least in some classical minds Pandorawas associated with Demeter (the earth goddess) and might have grown fromthe ground and from the clay because she was associated heavily withagriculture. Yet unlikeBaroque painters, this is seen not as a lascivious sexual event, but as analmost mystical communion with the magic of nature and self. In short,some authors suggest that Hesiod altered ancient myths regarding Pandora todisguise her true nature and transform her from a beneficial nature goddessto a false temptress and giver of evil. There is something very peculiar about the factthat she is pictured rising out of the ground. If such a thing is possible, those of theBaroque period took an even darker view of the sexuality of women than didtheir predecessors, and Pandora not only remained tainted by the imaginedcrimes of Eve but she was also separated once more back into her pagan selfwith no biblical justification to protect her. Unlike manynymphs and other figures in classical art, she appears to be always shownclothed and modest, as befits the mother of all people. "(Lund) Thus a complete circle is formed, in which modern artistry returnsPandora to the respected place she held in early classical works. On several vases where she is thus pictured rising from the ground,Pandora is alternatively referred to as Anesidora, which means the "senderup of gifts. In a number of classical pieces archived at the Classical Mythand Ancient Art site, Pandora is shown in a stiff and formal female stance. Thesetrends can be traced to social and religious roots, differences in theperception of women, and the progress of technological history. In these the original work is warped in some way, or co-opted to theinterests of the author.
Common topics in this essay:
Judeo- Christian,
Galatea Pygmalion,
Kate Walker,
Additionally Grecian,
Renaissance Christian,
,
Pandora Pandora,
Pere Wertelecki,
Johann Krauss,
Classical Pandora's,
baroque period,
classical art,
portray pandora,
rising ground,
pandora popular,
pandora portrayed,
pandora popular subject,
regarding pandora,
spiritual figure,
assemblage pieces,
painting pandora,
pictured rising ground,
eva prima pandora,
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