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The Frescoes of the Nereids, Sea Goddesses at the Archaeological Museum of Naples in Italy
The Nereids were sea goddesses. Their mother, Doris, was the daughter of Oceanus. Their father, Nereus, was a very ancient god who manifested himself in the foam of the waves of the Aegean Sea.The frescoes of Villa Arianna beautifully illustrate the Nereids as imagined by the Latin poet Ovid.
“Some are seen swimming, others sitting on a rock drying their green hair, others sailing on fish; although they do not all have the same face, they are not very different either. They resemble each other as befits sisters.”
Ovid - Metamorphoses Book II (8 AD)
Nereid on a sea horse, Stabiae, Villa di Arianna
Nereid on a sea horse Fresco - Water-based pigments on coating (49 × 76 cm) 54–68 AD
This fresco depicts a Nereid swimming alongside a sea horse that she guides and controls by pulling on the reins, while holding back her light, flowing veil and spreading it out behind her, like a Medusa.
Her beautiful pink body moves effortlessly, bending and kicking her feet in perfect harmony with the sea horse, which rears up, energetically churning the water with its front legs and fish tail.
Nereid on a panther, Stabiae, Villa di Arianna
Nereid on a panther Fresco - Water-based pigments on coating (62 × 92 cm) 54-68 AD
A Nereid lies peacefully on the back of a panther with a fish tail as it prepares to drink the liquid she pours over its head.
The scene takes place underwater among various marine animals swimming around the beautiful Nereid, who is full of solicitude for the panther, offering it a drink on a tray.
This fresco is a poetic image of a fantastical world, where the graceful gesture of the Nereid's pretty hand is pouring a drink without it mixing with the water.
Mythology Achilles | Aeneas | Alcestis | Alexander | Aphrodite | Apollo | Arianne | Artemis | Ceres | Chryseis | Cupid | Daedalus | Dionysus | Dirce | Endymion | Flora | Galatea | Ganymede | Graces | Hephaestus | Hercules | Io Argos | Iphigenia | Isis | Leda | Marsyas | Medea | Nereids | Niobids | Odysseus | Pan | Paris | Perseus | Phaedra | Phrixus | Pirithous | Saturn | Satyrs | Sophonisba | Theseus | Troy | Zeus
Frescoes Mythology | Portraits | Life Leisure | Animals | Religion | Landscapes | Decoration
Artworks Sculptures | Frescoes | Eroticism
MANN Artworks | Schedule Tickets | Location | Authorizations
Museums Borbonica | MANN | Catacombs | Capodimonte | Royal | Jago | Neapolis | Diocesano | Martino | C.Elmo | Zevallos | Floridiana | Filangeri | C.Nuovo | Aquarium | Natural H. | Archivio | Pignatelli | Madre
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