Greek Mythology Author:John Pinsent Second impression 1973. — Mythology was woven closely into the fabric of the life and arts of ancient Greece. Most of the drama, poetry, painting and sculpture of the Greeks is based on stories of gods and heroes and of the mortal men and women with whom they dealt. The myths of the early Greek peoples had a religious or quasi-scientific meaning ... more »and formed the essential background and cultural heritage of later Greek civilisations. They played an important part in the creation of the glory that was Greece.
The authur, in addition to narrating familiar and lesser-known stories, traces the development of particular myths from the most primitive times to the sophisticated civilisation that formed the Golden Age of Greece. He shows that Greek mythology was a dynamic expression of the people's conscious or subconscious desires not a static unvarying canon of stories.
The stories of Greek mythology have been a source of inspiration to artists even since they first gained currency. This book contains a superb selection of the best examples of Greek vase paintings, sculpture and architecture.
24 pages in color. Over 100 illustration in black and white. Index.« less