Silenus is the educator and companion of Dionysus. The role of Silenus in painting and sculpture

Greek mythology is multifaceted and interesting. Deeper into the pages of legends and legends, you can find many interesting things. Reading about the high Olympus, the power of the gods, the beautiful temples built in their honor, as well as the rich holidays, a person is so carried away that he does not notice how quickly time flies. Dionysus deserves special attention, to be more exact, the suite accompanying him and representing a set of diverse creatures. Satires, nymphs, Silenus - this is the most part of the creations that have become heroes of bas-reliefs adorning the temple of the god of winemaking.

Who are the satires?

Satyr - in Greek mythology, a cheerful, dissolute god of forest and fertility. The appearance of the satyr allows us to describe him as a goat-headed man, with the outlines of a very strong athlete. In addition to goat's legs and hooves, this deity has a tail and horns. The lower part of the satyr's body was overgrown with wool.

Traditionally satyrs were considered Dionysos' assistants, they became the creators who invented the wine, which gave them the right to constantly participate in the feasts arranged by the god of winemaking, and get drunk on them. Satire is too loving, in legends they brazenly chase beautiful nymphs to indulge with them love. Traditionally symbolize male power. They have a weakness for playing the pipe, and they also like to dance, sing well, are lazy by nature, are amorous and inordinately disreputable. Have the power exceeding the capabilities of an ordinary person, which allows them to describe them as good warriors.

Satire in art

The ancient Greeks liked to display stories of various traditions in works of art, satire became the central figure of some paintings or statues. The mythology of antiquity gave them special attention, which inspired sculptors and artists to use the image of satire in their creations.

The satyrs were portrayed both by young boys, and by terrible, ugly monsters. For artists, the simple and cheerful disposition of these creatures served as a source of inspiration for creating a multitude of paintings. Among the sculptors apart is the work of Praxitel. It was he who sculpted the ideal statue of a satyr, whose type later became to be found in almost all works of art. The satyr made by Praxitel was a statue of bronze, beloved by the Greeks so much that even in Athens itself it was called famous.

It's strong. Mythology

Among the beings entering the retinue of Dionysus, one should separately single out one demigod. Silenus is the teacher of the god of fertility, a satyr, who is almost always in a state of intoxication. Sometimes drunkenness has a noble tinge of an inspired visionary, ready to tell people about the mystery of being, to open eyes to the secrets of the origin of the universe. In his songs, Silenus praised the earth, illuminated by the first rays of the heavenly body, clouds reaching heavenly heights only to fall upon the native land with torrential rain, forests with their pristine freshness and dancing in the breeze with the peaks of trees, a few animals at that time strolling along Forests and mountains, a beautiful and melodic song of wild wind.

Strong in the visual arts

Silenus is not only a mythological character, but also an important part of the applied art of Ancient Greece. On various bas-reliefs belonging to the epoch of Antiquity, as well as on engraved stones, he was deliberately given huge, coarse forms to once again emphasize the elegance and beauty of Dionysus (otherwise it is sometimes called Bacchus), and also to highlight the ease and elegance of the forms of the other companions of the god of winemaking : Nymphs and satyrs. The state of constant intoxication, characteristic of the demigod, requires constant support of the suite. In the pictures depicting the Bacchic festivals, you can see a heavy figure sitting riding a gray donkey, making every effort not to fall under the weight of a rider - this is Silenus. This once again emphasizes the image of the demigod. Beside him invariably march satyrs, acting in the role of support and guarding against the fall, surrounded by a sufficiently drunk Silenus on both sides.

Strong in sculpture

Many antique sculptors believed that a worthy decoration for the garden would be stone satyrs. Mythology has many legends associated with them, but the demigod Silen liked the Greeks somewhat more. If in painting he was loved to be portrayed deliberately ugly, then in the sculpture appears another type of Silenus. As a teacher of the god of winemaking, he must at least occasionally appear before the people in a decent way. A huge belly and fat folds disappear, drunkenness dissipates, and its forms as a whole acquire harmony and nobility. As an example, an excellent statue of bronze, found in Pompeii. It depicts Silenus in beautiful guise, entertaining the little Dionysus still playing with copper plates.