The Uses of Symbolism in Greek Art - A Dissertation Presented, Janet M. McDonald

I ordered this dissertation off Amazon as I thought it would be helpful in identifying ways that symbolism has been used within Greek Art in the past. I highlighted key points loosely relating to my own work but still found it interesting to read. Although mainly talking about symbolism coins, metopes and vases I feel that the ideas presented can be transferred to the likes of other art; take photography for example.

"Everyone accepts as unquestioned the assumption that personification occurs in Greek Art, and Gods were known by their attributes (e.g., Zeus by his thunderbolt)" (McDonald, 1923) whilst this is certainly true for well known Gods such as Zeus, Hades, Poseidon etc the 'lesser' Gods who aren't as well known surely can't be identified through symbolism alone. For example, although Demeter is Zeus' wife and sister, she may not be known in the 21st century; her symbols include corn and a pig but even with this direct signals to the Goddess if someone doesn't even know of Demeter, they won't know how to identify her through personification.

This is where roadblocks come up for my work, for my tableau to be read with ease and understanding there is a certain assumption that the audience will know the myth. Thus to make the reading of the image more accessible for everyone that would visit the gallery space I would include quotes from the Homeric Hymn to Demeter; by throwing in well-known names like Hades, Hermes and Zeus the image may be easier to understand, and there will be a context for everyone to look into. Certainly, renaissance paintings may allude to certain events that we know nothing about but thier grandeur make it easier to appreciate them; it also helps that there is now the likes of google to help research the history of the painting.

From the chapter Various Classes of Symbols in McDonald's dissertation she establishes that there are different classes to symbols, the first being symbols that stand for the literal, the second "comprises symbols which deal with abstract ideas of emotions - fertility, power, purification, fear, pain and the like" (McDonald, 1923). The second group applies to me, within my tableu I want to present the myth as a whole, but through the seasons as symbols and Gods.

"There are two ways that symbols are so used [shorthand]; first, to indicate landscape, and second, to suggest a myth or narrative" (McDonald, 1923). When I read this quote I felt like I was doing my work right, that there is another connection to Greek art rather than just the myth. This has filled me with confidence for my final shoot that will (hopefully) be understood as the Persephone myth.