THE SPHINX
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Object type:Painting
Medium:Oil on canvas
Author:Gustave Moreau
Location:Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Object type:Sculpture
Author:Artists of Attica
Location: National Archaeological Museum
in Athens
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MYTHOLOGY
It is believed that the Sphinx
was a female monster which was attributed woman face and lion chest, legs and
tail. She also had wings like a bird of prey. In Greek mythology, the Sphinx
was a demon of destruction and bad luck and she used to be represented with
woman face, lion body and bird wings.
Hesiod is the first one to
refer to the sphinx in his Theogony.
According to him, she is daughter of Chimaerea and Orthrus, the terrible
brother of Cerberus..
Lasus of Hermione does not
share the same opinion. He says that the Sphinx is the daughter of Echidna, the
beautiful nymph with tail of snake, and Typhon´s daughter.
Most writers recognize the
sphinx divine origin.
According to Apolodoro, Sphinx
was a monster with woman face and breast; lion legs; dog body; dragon tail and bird wings.
Statius describes the sphinx as
pale, with its mouth full of poison, eyes like burning coals and wings always
blood stained.
MEANING
To be or look like a Sphinx
- To have a cold and mysterious
attitude, without showing what one thinks or feels.
OTHER IMAGES
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Object type:Sculpture
Author:People of Naxos Island
Location:Delphi Archaeological Museum
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Object type:Painting
Medium:Oil on canvas
Author:Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres
Location:Louvre Museum
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Object type:Painting
Medium:Oil on canvas
Author:François-Xavier Fabre
Location:Dahesh Museum of Art
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Object type:Painting
Author:Oedipus Painter
Location:Vatican Museum
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EXAMPLES
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