Many artists have derived inspiration
from Greek mythology, portraying contemporary significance of
the mythological
themes in their work. Norman also translated his passion for Greek
myths into numerous pictures. This is a great opportunity to acquire
an original piece of art, which also tells an interesting story.
The majority of these myths
attempt to explain the religious and political institutions of Ancient
Greece, as well as the fundamentals
of its civilization. They frequently depict a variety of gods,
goddesses, heroes, heroines, and other mythological creatures.
Unknown Seas can certainly be said to be an example of this. Unknown
Seas also relates to the legend of Odysseus, where the ship had
to pass the coast and waiting sirens, who lured sailors to their
death by singing seductive songs.
Norman translated his passion for Greek myths into
numerous pictures. Unknown Seas also relates to the legend of Odysseus,
where the ship had to pass the coast and waiting sirens, who lured
sailors to their death by singing seductive songs. According to Homer,
Odysseus filled his seamen's ears with wax so that they could not
hear, and had himself bound to the ship's mast so, in spite of the
spellbinding music across the water, the ship could safely pass.
In the etching the ship is seen coming toward the sirens waiting
on their rock with harpies swirling above and below them.
In February 1923 Norman wrote to Sydney art collector Dr Oscar Paul
(who then owned the watercolour Unknown Seas) with a personal statement
about his concept: The conception underlying Unknown Seas is, roughly
speaking, the eternal adventure of sex. Between youth and manhood,
for all normal males, the unknown future of life must greatly concern
the adventure of love. For youth, woman is the unknown. He must discover
her, and discover also all she may mean to him. Adolescent dreams
are for ever questing this unknown sea. I have made the effect one
of dawn, which may symbolize the youthful adventure sailing out of
it in their galley, to arrive at the high, inaccessible peak rising
from the sea on which the mysterious women are pinnacled.
To the women, also, the adventure of love sails from an unknown sea.
If they are strange and mysterious and isolated to the adventuring
youths, the youths are equally strange and mysterious to them. They
wait for the adventure of love that is arriving out of the dawn of
youth, and since love is more truly the intention of women, whose
function it is to bear life, my ladies on the mountain-top are all
aquiver at the expectation of dreams at last to be realized.
The Sirens are, of course, the Greek symbol for the sea song that
allures the mariner into dangerous sea-ways. They represent perhaps
that element of danger which is half the charm of the unknown adventure
of love ...
Sydney Ure Smith was impressed by the etching: Rose showed me Unknown
Seas when she was down. It is a magnificent etching and I was very
impressed with it. The gradation of tone in those light greys is
astounding and it is a remarkably fine conception ... |
