Oya is the powerful Yorùbá Orisha of the winds and tempests. She is considered either the sister of the Orisha of storms Shango, or one of His three wives, with Oshun and Oba. She can manifest as winds ranging from the gentlest breeze to the raging hurricane or cyclone. She goes forth with Her husband during His thunderstorms, destroying buildings, ripping up trees, and blowing things down. Oya is known as a fierce warrior and strong protectress of women, who call on Her to settle disputes in their favor. As the Orisha of change, She brings down the dead wood to make room for the new, and She uses Her machete or sword to clear a path for new growth. She is believed to watch over the newly dead and assist them as they make the transition from life. She is equated with the Vodou Lwa Maman Brijit, Who, like Oya, guards graveyards. Oya is the Orisha of the Niger River, and Her violent rainstorms are said to be its source. Like Oshun, She is worshipped not only in Africa but in Brazil, where the Amazon is said to be Her river, and where She is equated with the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of La Candelaria. Oya, who is an Orisha of a very fiery demeanor, also seems to have a far-flung connection with the Celtic Bride or Bridgit, both in Her Vodou counterpart Maman Brijit, and in Her associated Catholic saint, Our Lady of La Candelaria, whose feast day, February 2nd, is shared with Bride. Oya's attributes are the sword or machete and the flywhisk, and Her animal is the water buffalo, in Whom She sometimes manifests. Her mother is said to be Yemaya, the Great Sea Mother. Oya Herself is said to be the mother of nine children--Egungun and four sets of twins. Her number is nine, Her color is burgundy or purple, and Her metal is copper. Offerings to Oya include eggplants, coins, red wine, and cloth. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #oya #yoruba #orisha #orishas #windgoddess #stormgoddess
Ourania is the Muse of astronomy, one of the nine sister Goddesses of inspiration and the arts in Greek myth. Her name (sometimes spelled Urania), means 'Heavenly'. I have shown Her here with lilies of the variety Stargazer in Her hair, gazing up at the stars. Made as one of a set of all nine Muses for a commission. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #ourania #urania #muse #TheNine #thenine #greekmuses #museofastronomy #greekgoddess #greekmyth #ancientgreece
Oshun is the Yorùbá Orisha (Deity) of the sweet or fresh waters (as opposed to the salt waters of Yemaya). She is widely loved, as She is known for healing the sick and bringing fertility and prosperity, and She especially watches over the poor and brings them what they need. As Orisha of love, Oshun is represented as a beautiful, charming and coquettish young woman. In some tales She is said to be a mermaid, with a fish's tail. The Yorùbá clans inhabit parts of western central Africa, in present-day Nigeria. Oshun is the Goddess of the river of the same name, and She is especially worshipped in river-towns. During Her yearly festival, She is said to choose one or more women dancers to descend into (much like participants in Vodou ceremonies may be "mounted" or "possessed" by a Lwa). These women then take new names in honor of Oshun and are thereafter consulted as healers. Oshun was taught divination with cowrie shells by Obatala, the first of the created Orishas, and then She brought the teaching to humans. She was at one time the wife of Shango, the Orisha of storms, as was Oya, the Orisha of the winds and tempests. Oshun is also said to be the mother of the birds or fishes. With the African diaspora, Oshun was brought to the Americas, and adopted into the pantheons that branched out of the African traditions. In the Brazilian religion of Candomblé, which retains close ties with the Yorùbá religion, as well as in Cuban Santeriá, She is called Oxum. In Haitian Vodou She is an inspiration for Erzulie or Ezili, also a Deity of water and love. Oshun, like the other Orishas, has a number associated with Her—five; a color—yellow or amber; and a metal—gold or bronze. The peacock and the vulture are sacred to Her. Offerings to Oshun include sweet things such as honey, mead, white wine, oranges, sweets, or pumpkins, as well as perfume. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #oshun #yoruba #yorubagoddess #sweetwaters #watergoddess #beautygoddess #lovegoddess #africangoddess #healergoddess
Nyx is the ancient Goddess of night in Greek mythology, daughter of Khaos. She is a primal ancestress, and mother of many Deities by Her brother Erebos (Darkness). Her children are for the most part dark sorts and include the Moirai (the three Fates), Nemesis (justice and divine retribution), winged Hypnos (Sleep) and His brother Thanatos (Death), Moros (Doom), the Keres, Goddesses of violent death, Oizys (Misery), the Hesperides who guarded the golden apples, Deceit, Friendship, Old Age and Eris (Strife, sometimes said to be a daughter of Hera). She was depicted as riding in a chariot, trailing stars and bringing the night, and accompanied by Her sons Hypnos and Thanatos. She could be helpful or harmful to humankind, bringing either sleep or death. Nyx had prophetic powers, and gave oracles from a cave. She was older and more powerful than Zeus, who deferred to Her wishes. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #nyx #nightgoddess #greekgoddess #greekmyth #primalgoddess #ancientgreece #propheticgoddess
Nut is the Egyptian sky Goddess and mother of Osiris, Horus the Elder, Seth, Isis and Nephthys. Her brother and husband is the earth God Geb, and Their parents are Shu (air) and Tefnut (moisture). Nut and Geb were married in secret against the will of Ra, the one-time king of the Gods. When Ra found Them coupling, He had Shu the air God violently and permanently seperate Them, forcing Geb to the earth, where His body's contours became the hills, and lifting Nut into the sky (which implies that, like Lilith, Nut preferred the top position). Since then They have always been seperate, and Geb has been inconsolable. Ra then forbade Nut to have Her children on any day of the year. But Thoth, God of wisdom, helped Her, by winning at gaming with the Moon. From His winnings—which were a little of the Moon's light—Thoth made five extra days that were outside the year, and Nut was able to give birth to Her five children. These five days in the Egyptian calendar did not belong to any month, and with the twelve months of thirty days each brought the total of days up to 365 (and no, they made no allowance for leap-year, though they knew perfectly well.) Nut is also said to swallow the sun each night and give birth to it in the morning, and Her sign is a vase shaped rather like a uterus. She also protects the dead, and is painted on the inside of coffins, Her starry body embracing and protecting the deceased. She is shown here cradling Her womb which contains the sun, shown in its hierogylphic form that was later used as the symbol for the sun in alchemy. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #nut #skygoddess #egyptiangoddess #ancientegypt #mothergoddess #nightgoddess
Ninhursag ('the Lady of the Hursag, or Sacred Mountain') is a Sumerian Earth Goddess of abundant life. She is shown here in Her traditional pose, half wrapped in a mantle wearing Her distinctive crown; behind Her is a pattern of stylized mountains. Done as one of the monthly Goddesses for my Patreon in colored inks. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #ninhursag #mountaingoddess #sumeriangoddess #earthgoddess #lifegoddess #ancientsumer #sumerianmyth #inkpainting
Nikkal is a Goddess of Fruits, honored by the Hittites and Canaanites. She derives from the Sumerian Ningal, wife of the Moon God and mother of Inanna; as Nikkal, She is also the wife of the Moon God. She was known in Egypt as a healer. She is shown here with a lap full of fruits, before a date-palm tree. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #nikkal #harvestgoddess #sumeriangoddess #canaanitegoddess #hittitegoddess #sumerians #sumer #ancientsumer #ningal #fruitgoddess
Nekhbet is an ancient Egyptian mother Goddess and the protectress of Upper Egypt, which is the southern part, or upstream as you follow the Nile. She is often depicted as a vulture, the symbol of Upper Egypt since ancient times, and is usually paired with Uadjet or Wedjat, the cobra Goddess of the Lower Nile, to represent the unity of Egypt. Nekhbet and Uadjit were called Nebti, "The Two Mistresses," and protected the Pharoah. They were shown on the headdress of the pharoah as vulture and cobra (which was also known as the uraeus). As guardian deity of Upper Egypt, Nekhbet was shown wearing the White Crown, while Her counterpart Uadjet wore the Red. Nekhbet's name comes from the town Nekheb in Upper Egypt (the modern el-Kab, located between Luxor and Aswan) and She had a major temple there. She was believed to help during royal births, and is sometimes depicted suckling the Pharoah Herself. She is shown in Her vulture-form hovering over the pharoah protectively, with outspread wings. The city Nekheb was called by the Greeks Eileithyaspolis, showing how they connected Nekhbet with the their Goddess of childbirth, Eileithia. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #nekhbet #nekhebet #vulturegoddess #egyptiangoddess #ancientegypr #mothergoddess #upperegypt #birthgoddess #childbirthgoddess
Nehalennia is a Goddess of sea travelers Who was worshiped in two sites along the coast of the North Sea in the present day Netherlands. She is known from many votive stelae and altars found at those sites, and is almost always shown with a dog, perhaps as a symbol of loyalty, or as a companion on the journey (which includes the journey to the Afterlife). She is usually depicted in a distinctive (local?) outfit of a cap and short cape. Her name means 'Steerswoman', and She was invoked for safe and profitable sea journeys. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #nehalennia #seagoddess #celticgoddess #germanicgoddess #netherlangoddess #goddessofthenorthsea #northsea #merchantgoddess #prosperitygoddess #thenetherlands
Nantosuelta is a continental Celtic Goddess Whose distinctive attribute is a little house (or temple or dovecote) on a pole. Her name means either 'Meandering Stream' or 'Sunlit Valley'; given that Her worship was centered on the Moselle River valley they both do seem to apply, though it should be noted that of the representations we have of Her She is not actually shown with watery imagery. She can be shown with fruit (or bread loaves), as well as something that could be a beehive; She has accordingly been assumed to be a Goddess of happy and prosperous domesticity. However, She is also often shown with a raven, indicating a darker or more complex aspect to Her, as the raven is invariably a bird of death or battle in Celtic myth. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #nantosuelta #celticgoddess #gaulishgoddess #celts #gauls #celticmyth #prosperitygoddess #ravengoddess
Nanshe is a Sumerian water Goddess, concerned with the Sea and the marshlands and the animals there, especially water birds and fish. She is also a Goddess of justice and prophecy. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #nanshe #sumeriangoddess #watergoddess #nanshegoddess #justicegoddess #sumerianmyth #goddessoflife
Nana Buluku is a Yoruba and Fon Goddess Who created the cosmos. She created Mawu (the Moon) and Lisa (the Sun) before stepping back from Creation. She is shown as an old, old woman, the oldest of all. Purple is Her color, and water, fish, and the Moon are associated with Her. She is shown here with a carved calabash (gourd), which represents the two parts of the cosmos; the bottom half represents this world, and the top half the Otherworld of the Gods (Orisha) and the dead. Behind Her is a design meant to evoke swirling galaxies as well as the whirlpool that is the entrance to Her home in some stories; the designs are after the adire cloth made by Yoruba women. The fish design on Her skirt is after a carved door. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #nanabuluku #fongoddess #africangoddess #creatorgoddess #thecreator #yorubagoddess #fon #yoruba #yorubamyth #fonmyth #mothergoddess #ancientgoddess #orisha
Naga Kanya is a serpent Goddess of Hinduism and other Eastern traditions; She can bring prosperity and wealth. Done as a commission. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings
Morgan, also known as Morgan le Fay, is the great sorceress of Arthurian lore. She may have Her origins in a Sea Goddess, as Her name means 'Sea-born'. She can also be considered a Fairy Queen of the mythical land of Avalon. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #morgan #morganlefay #vivian #celticgoddess #sorceress #kingarthur #arthuriancycle #avalon #queenmorgan
Morgana, also known as Morgan le Fay, is a fairy queen and sorceress of Arthurian legend. She is one of three elder half-sisters to Arthur who are the daughters of Ygraine and Gorlois, the others being Morgause and Elaine. Morgana hated her half-brother Arthur nearly from the day he was born, and the legends are full of her attempts to bring his downfall. Like Vivian, she is said to have been a pupil of Merlin, and she is much associated with the magical island of Avalon. Avalon, which means "Apple Trees," is a magical paradise-type island or joyous land of the dead which is usually described as an island in the seas of the west, and Morgana may originally have been a sea Goddess. Avalon is also identified with Glastonbury, a great hill or tor in present-day Somerset England, which in modern Welsh is called Ynis Afallach, "Isle of Apples." (Glastonbury Tor was once an island in a shallow marshy lake before the land was drained). An earlier name for it was Ynys Wydrin, or the "Isle of Glass" (though, oddly enough, the English word "Glastonbury" is not a translation), and glass is a substance associated in the Celtic mind with the Otherworld. Many legends speak of fantastic castles or towers made of glass, i.e. made from air or sea water, and Otherworld castles are frequently said to be islands in the sea or the sky, like Caer Arianrhod. Morgana may have roots in a Celtic sea Goddess. Her epithet "le Fay" translates to "the Fate" (or "the Fairy," itself derived from "fate"), aligning her with a Goddess of the ending of cycles. And beginnings. For though Morgana is forever trying to destroy Arthur, she also has powers of healing, and in the end she takes Arthur in to Avalon, to be healed of his wounds. According to prophecy, Arthur will wake, reborn, from an enchanted sleep to return to Britain in the time of its greatest need. Her predecessor Argante, called queen of Avalon in earlier legends, was also famed as a healer. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #morgana #morganlefay #celticgoddess #sorceress #kingarthur #avalon #vivian #ninian
Momoy is the Chumash Goddess of the datura flower and its medicinal and ritual use, as well as the guardian of tradition. The Chumash people lived (and still live) in coastal California and were famous for their beautiful basketry. They did not, however, have pottery (the bowl is artistic license), but the design on the bowl is borrowed from petrogylphs believing to depict visions. The Chumash were fishermen and laboriously made flour from acorns, which are edible only after extensive treatment. Momoy is associated with the datura plant, specifically Datura meteliodes. The datura family is known for its narcotic and medicinal properties, and includes D. stramonium, the white thorn-apple or jimson-weed. Momoy advises on correct proportions and careful use of this powerful medicine. It is said that if you drink Her bathwater—in other words, a tea made from the root of the datura plant—you will be granted visions and wisdom. But Momoy would not let Her grandson drink it, as he did not know the proper dosage. She is shown here wearing a Navajo-style necklace of so-called "squash blossoms." The blossoms are actually stylised representations of the trumpet-shaped datura flower, which She is also wearing in Her hair. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #momoy #chumashgoddess #daturagoddess #healinggoddess #healergoddess #datura #nativeamerican #nativeamericangoddess #chumash
Mokosh is the Slavic Goddess of the Earth, known from the old Kievan pantheon; She is likely a form of the ancient Mati Syra Zemlya or 'Moist Mother Earth', and like Her associated with water, Her name coming from a root meaning 'moisture' or 'wetness'. She is also a Goddess of weaving and spinning. There is a traditional embroidery pattern showing a stylized woman standing between two horsemen that is thought to be Her; on such She is often shown with arms upraised holding a pair of birds. She is in the traditional Russian outfit of a sarafan, or loose cone-shaped dress, worn over an embroidered blouse. I've put a horseman on each sleeve, so She is in the same position as in the embroideries. She wears a traditional Ukrainian flower headdress called a vinok, here with wheat, poppies (which commonly grow among the wheat), and blue flax flowers (the blossoms of the plant from which linen is made). She wears golden temple ornaments (those odd gear-shaped thingies) and long flowing blue ribbons that with Her necklace and earrings symbolize water. The background is after traditional Russian folk painting. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #slavicgoddess #mokosh #moistmotherearth #motherearth #earthgoddess #matisyrazemlya #weavergoddess #spinnergoddess #watergoddess #goddessoflife
Minerva is the Roman Goddess of crafts. Her origins are probably Etruscan, where She was known as Menrfa; She has a protective or martial aspect and so was assimilated to the Greek Athena at an early time. This is another of the very small ink and watercolor pieces, with Juno and Venus, only about an inch and a half wide. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #minerva #goddessofwar #wargoddess #wisdomgoddess #wisdom #owlgoddess #romangoddess #romanmyth #athena
Metis (Μητις) is the Greek Goddess of wisdom, counsel and cunning, the mother of Athena; I have given Her the light eyes of Her daughter to show the connection. She is one of the elder Titan Goddesses. According to a prophecy, any son of Metis would be greater than his father; as Zeus only learned of this after getting Her pregnant, He decided to swallow Metis whole to prevent being overthrown (which, of course, He had done to His own father). Their daughter Athena was in due time 'born' from Zeus's head, as Zeus was naturally lacking in the proper body parts for such an occasion; She was born in full armor, which Her mother Metis had provided for Her from within the body of Zeus. That is on the surface of course a ridiculous legend, and I can't help but think it proves how little bearing common sense has on patriarchal narratives; however it can also be read as an allegory with Metis being Zeus's personified wisdom from Whom the Goddess of war, culture, and wisdom was born. Of course the Goddess Athena is very, very old (Her worship may date back to the Neolithic, in fact), and so of course rather older (or was established in what would be Greece earlier) than the quintessentially Indo-European Zeus. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #metis #goddessofwisdom #greekgoddess #titaness #titanes
Melpomene is the Muse of Tragedy, sister of course to Thalia, Muse of Comedy (I like to think of those two as especially close); the Muses being the Goddesses of inspiration and the arts, especially song and poetry. They are the daughters of Mnemosyne or Memory, and were invoked to help poets and singers remember lines and lyrics in the age of oral tradition. Melpomene is usually depicted with the tragic mask; grape leaves are also associated with Her as a symbol of Her connection to Dionysos as God of the dramatic arts. I have put Her in sombre colors with dark cypresses behind. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #muse #themuses #melpomene #melpomenemuse #greekmuse #thenine #museoftragedy #greekmyth #ancientgreece #tragedygoddess #goddessoftragedy
In Greek myth Melissa is the name of a nymph Who first discovered honey. She may ultimately be of Minoan origin, as Her father is said to have been one Melisseus, with a type of name that is pre-Greek. She is said to have been one of the nurses of Zeus, Who was hidden in a cave on Mount Ida in Crete. Her name means ‘Honeybee’. The priestesses of Demeter were also known as Melissae, ‘Bees’; and sometimes Artemis is called Melissa, as the Goddess of birth (as bees are said to represent souls). #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #melissa #melissae #beegoddess #greekgoddess #priestess #cretangoddess #crete #minoangoddess
Melaina ("The Black One") is the under-earth or chthonic aspect of the Greek Great Goddess, said to bring nightmares. Different Goddesses are called by Her name. Aphrodite Melainis represents a dark aspect of the Goddess of love as underworld Deity, though some say She is called "Black" because love-making often takes place at night. The underworld Goddess Melinoe was considered the daughter of Persephone (Kore) and Hades, queen and king of the underworld. She was called Khthonia, "Of the Lower World", a name also applied to Demeter. She was said to be half dark and half light (like Hel), from Her dark father Hades and Her mother who represented light. She walked the earth after dark bringing fear and night terrors. As Persephone is considered to be a form of Demeter as death Goddess, so Melinoe should probably be seen as another underworld aspect of the Greek Great Goddess. Melaina is also the epithet of Demeter Herself as an underworld Goddess, and in this respect was also called Khthonia. A cave on Mount Elaios near the Attican town of Phigalia was sacred to Her. In Her long search for Her abducted daughter Kore, Demeter turned Herself into a mare to escape the attentions of Poseidon. But Poseidon found Her, and as a stallion He raped Her. She then gave birth to a daughter called Despoine, "the Mistress" after which She wore black and shut Herself in the cave. Her statue in the cave near Phigalia showed Her as a seated woman with a horse's head, snakes and monsters growing from Her hair. In one hand She held a dolphin, in the other a dove. In this form She was called Mare-Headed Demeter. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #melaina #greekgoddess #underworldgoddess #darkgoddess #blackgoddess #demeter #melainis #aphrodite #melinoe #greekmyth
Nantosuleta is a Celtic Goddess. Depicted holding a pole with a small house at the top, this has linked her to prosperous homes and their protection. However, as some interpret it as a beehive or dovecote, she is also seen as linked to the energies of nature. As she is often seen in the company of Succelos, and has the raven as another symbol, Nantosuleta is also connected to the underworld. Art by Thalia Took thaliatook.com #nantosuleta #celticmythology #celticgoddess #succelos #home #hearth #underworld #thaliatook #divinefeminine #goddess #goddesspodcast #podcast #onceuponagoddess
Medusa was one of the three Gorgons ("the Terrible Ones"), the daughters of Keto ("Whale," daughter of Gaea and Pontos, the outer sea) and her brother Phorkys (also a sea Deity). She was said to have once been a beautiful maiden, famous for Her lovely hair, who was turned to a hideous monster by the Goddess Athene. Snakes then replaced Her beautiful tresses, and Her gaze was so terrible it would turn men to stone. The hero Perseus killed Her on a dare, decapitating Her and making off with Her head, which he gave to Athene. Thereafter Athene wore it on Her aegis or breastplate that symbolized the storm clouds. There are many different representations of Medusa, some ugly, some not, and not all showing Her with Her famous snaky hair. Often She has wings, either large bronze ones sprouting from Her back, or a small pair on Her forehead. Sometimes She is shown as an ugly woman, burly and muscular, with large fangs. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #medusa #medousa #gorgon #gorgones #greekmyth #greekgoddess #primalgoddess #greek #ancientgreece
Mawu is a creator Goddess of the Fon of the old Kingdom of Dahomey (modern Benin); She is associated with both the Sun and the Moon, though in some tales She is considered the Moon and Her husband Lisa is the Sun, both children of Nana Buluku. She created the Earth and all the living creatures, but needed the help of the rainbow serpent Aida Hwedo to help lift it. As a creator Goddess, She can bring both life and death. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #mawu #fongoddess #dahomeygoddess #dahomey #fon #creatorgoddess #thecreator #aidawedo #aidahwedo #africangoddess #moongoddess #sungoddess
Maman Brijit is a Vodou Lwa or spirit Who is the protectress of cemeteries. She is one of the family of the Gede or Guede, the Vodou death spirits whose numbers include Bawon Samdi, Bawon Gede, and Gede Nimbo or Nibo, guardian of children. The Gede, especially Bawon Samdi, Her husband, are tricksters Who are known for mocking authority and making fun of society. They have terribly bad manners and very dirty minds. Maman Brijit means "Momma Brijit," and She is said to especially protect those graves marked with a cross. Vodou has elements of both original African religion and the Christianity that was overlaid onto it in the New World. Thus the cross in Vodou not only recalls Jesus, but was already a fundamental symbol of the crossroads. The crossroad or kalfou, which represents the Universe of choices and paths, is where the human and the divine intersect. Maman Brijit is said to be equivilant to the Yorùbá Orisha Oya, Who also guards cemeteries. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #vodou #voudoun #voodoo #mamanbrijit #mamanbrigitte #deathgoddess #gede #guede #lwa #loa
Mama Killa (also spelled Mama Quilla) is the Moon Goddess of the Inca. She is a Goddess of women, the calendar and festivals; Her husband is said to be the Sun God Inti, and She is the mother of the so-called Children of the Sun. Silver was considered Her tears and was sacred to Her. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #mamakilla #mamaquilla #moongoddess #incagoddess #inca #incans
Ma’at is the ancient Egyptian Goddess of truth, righteousness, and wholeness. Her symbol is the ostrich feather, which is used by Anubis to judge the newly dead: if the deceased’s heart is as light or lighter than the feather, they are judged to have lived a life in accordance with Ma’at. But if it is heavier, it is given to the monster Ammut to eat. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #maat #maatgoddess #egyptiangoddess #egyptianmyth #goddessoftruth #truthgoddess #maattruth #goddessofjustice #ancientegypt #egypt #penandink #blackandwhiteart
Happy Floralia! Flora is the Roman Goddess of flowering plants and trees, as well as the Goddess of the springtime. She had a festival, the Floralia, which ran from April 28th to May 3rd; She had a second festival dedicated to roses at the end of May, usually the 23rd, but it depended on when the roses were in bloom. She had Her own flamen (a very ancient priesthood of Rome) and a temple in Rome. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #floralia #watercolor #flora #floragoddess #goddessofflowers #romangoddess #romanholiday #romanfloralia #romanmyth
Libertas is the Roman Goddess of liberty and freedom; Her name simply means 'Liberty'. She is in origin one of the Goddesses Who began as an abstract concept or virtue that was then deified; as such She was, like many others of the same kind of Goddess, often used and misused for political purposes. She was generally portrayed wearing the Phyrgian cap as a symbol of liberty, though I have chosen here to portray Her free of any ornament, as that seemed appropriate. The most well-known representation of Libertas in modern times is the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, though the statue is of course seen through a late 19th century French lens (the rayed crown was quite uncommon on Her depictions in Roman times). Done as one of the monthly Goddesses by Request over at my Patreon. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #libertas #liberty #goddessofliberty #goddessoffreedom #romangoddess #romanmyth #penandink #watercolor
Lethe (Ληθη), the personification or Goddess of oblivion, and nymph of the Underworld river of the same name. Souls who were newly arrived in the Underworld drank from the river Lethe to forget their past lives. Another of the little ink paintings of Greek Goddesses. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #lethe #greekgoddess #rivergoddess #underworldgoddess #greekmyth #forgetting #goddessofoblivion #riverlethe #greeknymph
Laverna is the Roman Goddess of thieves, Who hears the prayers of robbers. The Porta Lavernalis (Lavernal Gate) on the Aventine Hill was named for Her, and She had an altar nearby. She also had a sacred grove on the Via Saleria, a famous ancient highway that went crosswise across the calf of the boot of Italy, beginning in Rome, following the River Tiber for a ways, then crossing the Apennine Mountains to the Adriatic Sea. Perhaps originally an Underworld Goddess of the Etruscans, Laverna became Goddess of thieves because thieves operate in darkness. Her name is said to derive either from the Latin latere ("to lurk"), levare ("to relieve, lessen or lighten," something pickpockets certainly do) or levator ("a thief"). Furina, a Goddess later associated with Laverna, was originally a very ancient Etruscan Goddess of thieves who ruled over the Earth and the dark. She had an annual festival called the Furrinalia, Her own priest, and a grove or shrine on the Janiculum, the ridge alongside the west bank of the Tiber, opposite the Aventine Hill. She was sometimes confused with the Furiae (the Furies, the Roman name for the Greek Erinyes), due to the similarity of Her name. From the same root as Furina (which means "thief") comes our word "furtive." #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #laverna #lavernagoddess #romangoddess #romanmyth #goddessofthieves #robbergoddess #aventinehill #ancientromangoddess
Laverna is the ancient Roman Goddess of thieves and robbers. She has associations with the Underworld, and may have been Etruscan in origin. As such, offerings were made to Her with the left hand. Done as a commission. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #laverna #goddessofthieves #romangoddess #romanmyth #underworldgoddess #lavernagoddess #etruscangoddess
Kwan Yin ("She Who Hears the Prayers of the World") was originally the mother Goddess of China, who proved so popular She was adopted into the Buddhist pantheon as a bodhisattva (much like the Goddess Bride was made a saint). A bodhisattva is a person who has attained enlightenment but chooses to forgo Nirvana and remain in the world to help others attain enlightenment. Kwan Yin's specialty is compassion, and She is known as the Goddess of Mercy. Before She became a bodhisattva, Kwan Yin was a princess named Miao Shan. As Miao Shan She endured many trials, especially from Her father, who wanted Her to marry. But She refused, and instead dedicated Her life to Buddhism. As the still-popular mother Goddess of China, Kwan Yin is known as a great healer who can cure all ills. She is also a Goddess of fertility, and is often shown holding a child. In this aspect She is known as Sung-Tzu Niang-Niang, "The Lady Who Brings Children." She is shown holding a crystal vase, pouring out the waters of creation. Simply calling Her name in time of crisis is believed to grant deliverance. Kwan Yin is sometimes also depicted as male, especially in Japan, where She is called Kwannon, and equated with the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, Lord of Compassion. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #kwanyin #guanyin #kwannon #goddessofcompassion #mothergoddess #buddhistgoddess #buddhism #chinesegoddess #bodhisattva
Kurukulla is a Tantric Buddhist Goddess with origins in India; She is usually shown with four arms, bright red skin, and ornaments of skulls, dancing on a lotus/sun disk. In Her hands She holds a bow and arrow made of utpala flowers (like the God of love Kamadeva); in Her other hands (not shown) She holds a hook and a noose. She is a Goddess of powerful magic and enchantment Who personifies enlightened wisdom; despite Her somewhat fearsome appearance She is a Goddess of attraction and magnetism, with the power to enchant men. She is sometimes considered a form of Tara. Done as a commission. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #kurukulla #kurukulle #tara #redtara #buddhist #buddhism #buddhistgoddess #tantricgoddess #lovegoddess #goddessoffiercelove
Kostroma is a Slavic earth Goddess; She can be described as both a maiden and an old witch. She is said to sleep beneath a birch tree over the winter to awaken in spring. I've put Her here in a birch forest as She awakens in spring; it is winter on the left and spring on the right, and the Sun of the vernal equinox shines overhead as one becomes the other. The style is after traditional Russian embroideries. Acrylic on canvas board, done as the Goddess of the Month over on my Patreon. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #kostroma #russiangoddess #slavicgoddess #springgoddess #goddessofspring #goddessofthemonth
Kore was just a girl when She was abducted by the God of the Dead, Hades ("The Invisible"), and dragged down into the Underworld to be His wife. Her mother Demeter was consumed with grief and searched for nine days, but no one would tell Her anything: for Kore had been abducted with the approval of Zeus, ruler of the Gods, Who was the girl's own father. Finally Helios--who as sun God sees all--told Demeter what had happened. In anger and despair, She rejected the world of the Gods and wandered among humankind. In Her sorrow, She also withheld Her gifts of fertility so that no crops grew. At this Zeus finally gave in and commanded Hades to release Her daughter. However when Kore was returned to Demeter, it was found She had eaten a few pomegranate seeds while in the Underworld, binding Her there. As a compromise it was allowed that Kore would spend one third of the year in the Land of the Dead, and two-thirds with Her mother on the Earth. This produces the seasons--for when Kore is away from Her mother, dark winter descends as the Earth sorrows; but When Her daughter is returned to Her, the flowers spring forth in joy. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #kore #persephone #proserpina #greekgoddess #springgoddess #underworldgoddess #goddessmysteries #eleusis #elusinianmysteries #springtime #starintheapple
Klio, the Muse of history, was usually portrayed with books or a scroll; as the Goddess of history She was also responsible for bestowing fame (her name means 'Glory'). She could be shown with a trumpet as well, as one announcing a great event; accordingly I have given her trumpet-shaped earrings. Made as one of a set of all nine Muses for a commission. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #klio #museklio #greekgoddess #thenine #ninemuses #themuses #greekmyth #musicgoddess #goddessoffame #museofhistory #ancientgreece
Kirke of ancient Greek legend is the daughter of Helios, the sun, and the sister of Aeëtes and Pasiphaë, the mother of Ariadne. Other accounts call Her the daughter of Hekate and sister of Medea. Her legend says She was originally from Kolkhis on the Black Sea, but fled after poisoning Her Scythian husband to take up residence in the west on the Island of Aeaea. Kirke is a great enchantress famous for Her knowledge of herbs, magical spells and dark enchantments. She is especially known for spells of transformation: She changed the beautiful nymph Skylla into a sea-monster because She was jealous of Her; Picus, who refused Her love, She turned into a woodpecker; and any mortal visitors to Her island were transformed into wild beasts. When Odysseus and his men stopped at Her island on the long way home from the Trojan War, the landing-party were turned into swine. With the help of the magical herb moly given to him by Hermes, Odysseus forced Her to break the spell. Afterwards She helped Odysseus, and he and his men stayed on Her island for a year--some say She even bore him three sons. Before he finally left, She advised him well, telling him how to consult the dead seer Tiresias, and how to avoid certain dangers on his road home. Some even say that in the end, Odysseus returned to Kirke's isle and became Her husband. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #kirke #circe #greekgoddess #greekmyth #sorceress #magicgoddess #healergoddess #goddessoftransformation #aiaia
Khione (Χιονη) is the Greek Goddess of snow; She is the daughter of Boreas, the winged God of the north wind Who is also the God of winter, and Oreithyia, the Goddess or nymph of mountain winds, daughter of the legendary Athenian King Erekhtheus. Her mother's sisters are Herse and Pandrosos, Goddesses of dew Who are strongly connected with the Akropolis (as is Their father). #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #khione #snowgoddess #goddessofsnow #greekmyth #greekgoddess #ancientgreece #chione
The Harpies ("The Snatchers") are storm Goddesses. Some say They were the daughters of the monsters Typhon and Ekhidna; while others name Them daughters of Elektra daughter of Okeanos and Tethys, and Thaumas son of Gaea and Pontos. This lineage links Them to the storms of the sea, as Okeanos, Tethys and Pontos are all ocean Deities. It also makes Them sisters to the beautiful rainbow Goddess Iris, who arrives after the storm. Kelaeno ("The Black One", as Kali of India is "The Black Goddess"), is like Her sisters an agent of divine vengeance. She was known to be a prophetess, and was said to have had two sons by Poseidon. Kelaeno is also the name of one of the seven sisters Who became the constellation of the Pleiades. The Harpies were represented as winged women Who were sometimes depicted as beautiful creatures with the faces of girls and the bodies of birds, and at other times as hideous monsters with sharp talons who were agents of divine retribution, pursuing and tormenting criminals. They were known for their ravenous appetites and filthy habits, devouring their victims' food and fouling any that remained uneaten by them. They were also believed to carry away the souls of the dead. They were usually three in number: Aello "Whirlwind", Okypete "The Swift Flyer", and Kelaeno, though Homer only names one, Podarge "Swift Footed." #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #kelaino #kelaeno #harpy #harpies #harpiesgreek #greekgoddess #greekmyth #stormgoddess #triplegoddess
Kamrusepas is a healer Goddess of the Hittites, a people who lived in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and northern Syria, around 2000-1200BCE (when they were conquered by the Egyptians under Ramesses II). The Hittite pantheon of "the Thousand Gods" came to include Deities from many neighboring pantheons, such as those of Sumeria and Babylon, Assyria, and even India. Kamrusepas "the Mother" was known as a powerful magician and healer, Who could heal paralysis and cure illness by "loosening that which is bound." According to legend, Kamrusepas was responsible for healing the agriculture and fertility God Telepinu of His anger. In His rage He had withdrawn from the world, taking all His possessions with Him. Without His life-giving gifts, nothing on Earth or the world of the Gods would grow. Fires could not be lit, plants and animals died, and even the Gods starved. On the orders of the Mother Goddess Hannahannas, a bee was sent to sting Telepinu and goad Him from hiding. This, naturally enough, did not do much for His temper, and when He returned, Kamrusepas performed a complex ritual, calming the God with honey and fruits, and banishing His anger to the Underworld. Kamrusepas is shown here combing out Her braid to prepare to work Her healing magic. Symbolically, hair represents energy and the life-force, shown in the tradition by which witches were reputed to bring wind or storms by brushing their hair. This unbinding is also meant to show how the metaphor of paralysis can be healed, by carefully untangling a situation and letting go what needs to go. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #kamrusepas #kamrusepash #hittite #hittitegoddess #healinggoddess #goddessofhealing #hittitemyth
Kalliope is one of the nine Muses, sister Goddesses of inspiration and the arts in Greek thought. She and Her sisters are the daughters of Mnemosyne, the Goddess of memory, and Zeus. Kalliope is the leader of the Muses and the Muse of epic poetry. I have given Kalliope a kithara, an instrument in the lyre family which was considered the professional's instrument. The leash for the plectrum (the thing she's holding to pluck the strings) is straight off a vase painting. I gave the Muses similar faces so They'd look like sisters; the color violet (or the flower violet) is associated with Them, and so also I've put Them in various shades of that color, because the Goddesses of Music (among other things) should of course harmonize with each other. Done as part of a commission of all Nine of Them. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #kalliope #calliope #muse #ninemuses #greekmuse #greekmyth #greekgoddess #thenine #museofpoetry #violetcrownedmuses
Kali ("the Black Goddess") is the destroying form of Devi ("Goddess"), the Indian Great Goddess. Her power and prominence show mythological roots in the matriarchal Dravidian past. As Kali, the Goddess fought with Raktavija, the lord of the Asuras (Demons). But for every drop of Raktavija's blood that touched the Earth, a thousand demons sprang up. Kali in Her divine madness solved this by licking up every drop of His blood with Her tongue, and won the day. Wild with joy, She continued to dance Her dance of destruction until the Gods begged Her to stop; but She did not listen. Finally Her husband Shiva came to implore Her--still crazed, She did not recognize Him and instead threw Him on the floor with the corpses and danced over Him. Kali represents all-devouring Time. In Hindu myth, the aeons of the Universe are divided into four yugas or ages, which descend from best to worst: the Krta Age, or Satya ("Truth") Age, a Golden Age; the Treta Age; the Dvapara Age; and the last and present age, the Kali Age. The present Age is the worst of them, when virtue is all but forgotten, people have too many children, and mankind will be destroyed. But Her destruction also holds the seeds of renewal: the black subterranean waters of hell that hold the embryos of demons are understood to be a part of Kali. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #kali #kalima #motherkali #darkgoddess #india #indiangoddess #hinduism #hindugoddess #hindumyth #dravidiangoddess #devi #greatgoddess
Kali is the Dark Mother of India Whose name means 'the Black One'. She is considered one aspect of the Goddess Devi, mostly known for Her destructive capabilities, though She also creates. I have shown Her here dancing the Universe into (or out of) existence. Painted in acrylics; done as the monthly Goddess by Request over at my Patreon. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #kali #kaligoddess #indiangoddess #hindugoddess #kalima #hindumyth #devi #greatgoddess #darkmother #motherkali
The Roman Great Goddess Juno, a sky Goddess Who had the ability to throw thunderbolts. She was the wife of Jupiter. Pen and ink with watercolor; the original is only an inch and a half square! #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #juno #junogoddess #romangoddess #romanmyth #ancientrome #queenofthegods #skygoddess
Jacheongbi is the Korean Goddess of agriculture, shown here holding the five grains (rice, millet, foxtail millet, soybeans, and barley) which are symbolic of all agriculture. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #jacheongbi #koreangoddess #koreanmyth #agriculturegoddess #fivegrains
Ix Chel is the Maya Goddess of the Moon, Water, Weaving and Childbirth. She is shown here in three of Her many aspects. Left to right: Chak Chel, the Old Moon Goddess, called the Midwife of Creation; Ix Chel in Her main form as Mother Goddess and Weaver who set the Universe in motion; and the Young Moon Goddess, shown with Her totem animal the rabbit. Ix Chel is shown here in modern Maya traditional clothing featuring the astonishing gorgeous handwoven textiles still made in remote areas of Maya country (mostly modern-day Guatemala). She sits upon a Sky-Bar, known from Maya glyphs and carvings and used as a symbol of the sky; figures drawn above or over the Sky-Bar are usually deities, or the dead. Chak Chel pours water from a jar marked with the glyph for water, and the color scheme and water critters are after the beautiful Maya-style frescoes found at Cacaxtla, Mexico. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #mayagoddess #mayamyth #ixchel #chakchel #moongoddess #youngmoongoddess #mayamoongoddess #rainbowgoddess #weavergoddess #watergoddess
For the eclipse: the Sun Goddess of the Earth is the Hittite Queen of the Underworld; She represents the chthonic aspects of the bright Sun, presumably when it travels through the Underworld (i.e. under the horizon) at night. She comes to the Hittites through Hurrian sources, where She is named Allani; She is parallel to the Hattian Underworld God Lelwani (later presumed to be a Goddess under Her influence) as well as the Sumerian/Babylonian Ereshkigal. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #sungoddessoftheearth #hittitegoddess #allani #hittitemyth #solareclipse #solareclipse2024 #lelwani
Itzpapalotl is the Aztec Goddess of the sacrificial flint knife. Her name means 'Obsidian Butterfly' or 'Clawed Butterfly', the latter likely referring to the bat. She is often depicted with claws. She is one of the tzitzimime or star demons as well as one of the cihuateotl, or the spirits of women who died in childbirth. She rules Tamoanchan, the paradise from where humans originated. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #aztecgoddess #aztecmyth #aztec #butterflygoddess #mexicangoddess #itzpapalotl #obsidianbutterfly #tzitzimime #cihuateotl #batgoddess
The goddess Isis is the Great Goddess of Egyptian religion, a powerful sorceress and protectress, Who represents the power by which the Pharoahs ruled. In heiroglyphs, Her name incorporates a throne-symbol, and this attribute was often depicted on Her headdress. She is the daughter of the earth God Geb and the sky Goddess Nut, and sister to Osiris, Horus the Elder, Seth, and Nephthys. Isis was married to Her brother Osiris, the God of grain. Their brother Seth, the red-haired God of chaos and the desert was jealous, and to be rid of Osiris tricked Him into lying down in a coffin, which was then nailed shut and thrown into the Nile. Upon learning this, Isis searched for Her husband, finally finding Him in Phoenicia. When He returned to Egypt, Seth again attacked him, violently cutting His body into thirteen pieces. This time Isis reassembled the pieces and with help from Anubis, the God of the dead, Osiris was enbalmed, wrapped in linen, and magically restored to life, thus beginning the tradition of mummification. The death and resurrection of Osiris were celebrated throughout Egypt with rites of mourning and rejoicing, just as Tammuz, beloved of Ishtar, and Adonis, beloved of Aphrodite were celebrated in other parts of the Mediterranean and Middle East. The Egyptian legend has its own spin, however, in that Osiris remained in the Underworld to preside as King, and through the rituals of mummification the dead were guaranteed an eternal life. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #isis #isisgoddess #egypt #egyptiangoddess #ancientegypt #greatgoddess
The Great Goddess of the ancient Egyptians, Isis is a Goddess of magic, power, motherhood, and women. Her husband was the God Osiris, Who was murdered by Their brother Seth; Isis reassembled His body and through Her powers restored Him to life. I've shown Her here in Her traditional red; She has turquoise droplets edging Her collar to allude to Her role as mourner for Her husband Osiris. She has wings, as is traditional, and wears the vulture crown. Her face is after Amarna style paintings, ironically enough. Done as part of a commission. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #isis #isisgoddess #egyptianmyth #egyptiangoddess #egypt #ancientegypt #greatgoddess #goddessofmagic #goddessofpower
Iris, or in the Greek, Ιρις, is the Goddess of the rainbow in Greek myth. She is a messenger of the Gods, like Hermes, especially to Hera, the Queen of the Gods. She is the daughter of the Okeanid (sea nymph) Electra and the sea God Thaumas. I have given Her hair like stormclouds, raindrop earrings, and a rainbow headband. Another in the series of little ink paintings, the original only being an inch and a half in width. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #iris #irisgoddess #greekgoddess #rainbow #rainbowgoddess #greekmyth #stormgoddess
Io is a Greek Moon Goddess, associated with cows, as their horns are reminiscent of the crescent Moon; in Greek myth She was desired by Zeus. In jealousy, Hera changed Io into a white cow, and set a gadfly after Her; tormented by the fly, She fled all around the Mediterranean until finally settling in Egypt. The Greeks equated Her with Egyptian Isis because of Her links to cows, and considered Her a foremother of that people. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #moongoddess #io #greekgoddess #greekmyth #cowgoddess #isis #isisgoddess
Inanna is the Queen of Heaven and Earth in Sumerian myth, Who was known to the Babylonians as Ishtar. She was associated with Venus as both morning and evening star; she is a complex and great Goddess and has aspects relating to both love and war. She was often depicted riding or standing on a lion fully armed, one leg extending through the opening in her robe as if striding forward. She is the little sister to Ereshkigal, Queen of the Underworld, Who may be regarded as an aspect of Inanna (or Inanna an aspect of Ereshkigal); together the two of them encompass the realms of Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld and are complete. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #inanna #ishtar #babyloniangoddess #sumeriangoddess #greatgoddess #underworldgoddess #commissions
Idunna or Idun is the beautiful Norse Goddess of youth; Her name, more properly spelled Iðunn, means 'Rejuvenator' or 'Ever Young'. She grows the golden apples that keep the Gods young. Her husband is Bragi, the God of poetry, Who is sometimes then called by the title 'Husband of Iðunn'. Iðunn was once kidnapped by the giant Thjazi, Who took Her far away to his home; without Her, or Her apples, the Gods soon grew old. It was soon discovered that she'd last been seen with Loki, Who had orchestrated the whole abduction, and He was threatened until He brought Her home. Borrowing Freyja's falcon cloak, Loki flew to Thjazi's home and transformed Iðunn into a nut, which He brought back to Asgard, the home of the Gods. Her association with both apples and nuts links Her to fertility, naturally enough; there are also hints that She has an Otherworld nature. Apples and nuts are both associated with the Otherworld, and have been found in Germanic graves; and Iðunn Herself is said in the poem Hrafnagaldr Óðins to be 'of alfen [elven] race'. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #idun #idunna #norsegoddess #norsemyth #vikinggoddess #youthgoddess #goddessofyouth
Idun ("She Who Renews") is the Norse Goddess of youth Who grows the magic apples of immortality that keep the Gods young. Her husband Bragi is God of poetry. Loki, the God of mischief and fire, was once responsible for arranging Her abduction by the giant Thajazi. Without Her apples, the Gods soon began to age, and threatened Loki until He agreed to rescue Her, which He accomplished by borrowing Frejya's falcon robe and fleeing with Idun who He had changed to a nut. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #norsegoddess #vikinggoddess #idun #idunna #goddessofyouth
Holda is a Germanic Goddess of fate, spinning (especially flax), and weaving. She survived into Christian times as a folk figure; Frau Holle, one of the fairy-stories collected by the Brothers Grimm, is about Her. Holda can appear as a beautiful maiden or as an old woman. She is especially associated with the winter season; in Christian times She was connected with the twelve days of Christmas. Even in Christian times, a place was set for Her at the table on Christmas Night. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #holda #frauholle #holle #germanicgoddess #grimm #wintergoddess #weavinggoddess #flaxgoddess #fategoddess
Ho Hsien-Ku ("the Immortal Maiden Ho") is one of the Pa-Hsien, or Eight Immortals of Taoist legend, and usually the only female one (depending on how Lan T'sai-Ho is feeling that day). She is said to have attained Heaven in broad daylight, and is usually shown with a lotus flower or a peach, symbolizing eternity. The Eight Immortals were first recorded in the Yuan dynasty (13th-14th century), and are said to bring happiness and luck. Pictures and statues of Them are still very popular. Ho Hsien-Ku was believed to have lived in the 7th century at the time of the Empress Wu. She is also said to have just six hairs on Her head, though She is always shown as a beautiful woman with plenty of hair. Ho Hsien-Ku was the nurse of T'ai Sui, God of the heavens and time, Who corresponds to the planet Jupiter. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #hohsienku #eightimmortals #chinesegoddess #goddesschina #taoistgoddess
Hera of Samos is a form of Hera known on the Greek island of Samos, where She had a great temple. Well, it’s technically Greek; but really it’s not even a mile off the southwestern coast of modern Turkey (ancient Anatolia). She was originally an indigenous Goddess of the island Who was equated with the Greeks with their Hera; Her original name has not come down to us. She is shown here after images on coins—which being tiny do leave a bit to interpretation—with garlands of poppy-pods and pomegranates, both of which were found as votive offerings at Her temple. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #hera #samnianhera #heraofsamos #pillargoddess #anatoliangoddess #greekgoddess
Hera is the Goddess of marriage in Greek myth; She is married to Zeus, Who is also Her brother (i.e. equal). The peacock is sacred to Her, as is the cuckoo. She is shown here with one of the golden apples of the Hesperides, which were actually a wedding gift from Gaia, the earth Goddess. Done as a commission. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #hera #greekgoddess #marriagegoddess #greekmyth #commissions
Hera is the Greek Goddess of the sky and queen of the Gods, and one of the twelve Olympians. Her name is said to derive from a root meaning "sky." She was originally a powerful Goddess and was only joined with Zeus when invaders brought His worship into Greece. She is a Goddess of women and of marriage and childbirth. She is decribed as very beautiful and queenly, virtuous and faithful to Her husband. Her worship was widespread, with many temples and festivals dedicated to Her. Hera was the oldest daughter of Kronos and Rhea, and sister and wife (i.e. the equal) of Zeus. She was seduced by Her brother, who pursued Her unsuccessfully for some time. Finally He came to Her as a little cuckoo, nearly frozen with cold, and taking pity on it She held it to Her. He then resumed His usual shape and attempted to ravish Her; She resisted, until He promised to marry Her. Such beginnings did not bode well, and married life did nothing to slow Zeus's numerous affairs. Their marriage was notoriously unhappy and Hera vented Her rage by punishing Her husband's paramours. Zeus was known to beat Hera and on one occasion suspended Her from the sky and hung anvils from Her ankles, as punishment for leading a plot to overthrow Him. Her children by Zeus were Ares, Hephaestos and Hebe. Other children were Eilithyia, Goddess of childbirth, the she-dragon Python, who guarded the oracular shrine at Delphi, and the monster Typhon (though some say Gaea was Typhon's mother). #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #hera #greekgoddess #greekmyth #queengoddess #skygoddess
Hel ("the Hidden" from the word hel, "to conceal") is the Norse Goddess of the dead, ruler of the Land of Mist, Niflheim or Niflhel located in the far north--a cold, damp place that is home to frost giants and dwarves. The name Hel was applied both to the Queen of the Underworld and the land itself, and it is thought that the land gave the Queen Her name. In the late Christianized form of the myth, when Hel became Hell, She was said to be the daughter of Loki, Who was equated with Lucifer. In appearance She is said to be a fearsome sight: She is described as being piebald, with a face half-human and half blank, or more usually, half alive and half dead. It is told that when She was born, disease first came into the world. She was said to sweep through towns and cities bringing plague: if She used a rake, some would survive; if a broom, none would. When the beloved Baldr was killed through Loki's treachery, the entire world begged Hel to release Him from death. She agreed, but only if every creature on earth truly mourned for Him. So beloved was Baldr that everything--Gods, humans, animals, trees, stones--wept for Him. All except an old giantess called Thokk, Who was Loki in disguise. #thaliatook #goddessart #womensart #femaleartist #femalepainter #womanartist #goddesspaintings #hel #hela #norsegoddess #underworldgoddess #norsemyth #vikingmyth