Freedomain Radio

Can anyone explain why I can look at this picture for hours.  I find it amazing.

Because it is amazing.

Maybe you could explain it

What do you like about it? How does it leave you feeling both emotionally and physically? What does it remind you of?

Gorgeous painting. Lots of crimson and black. And it's curious that Cadmus is not depicted in the ideal greek sense, but somewhat gangley.

The dragon's teeth give rise to a race of men known as the "Spartes", btw.  Interesting.

I'm also curiou what you find emotionally moving about this piece.  This is quite nice!  Thanks for sharing...

Btw, to answer my own question, the aspects I find enjoyable about it are the glimpses of blue sky behind it and the mountains because they seem like escape to a fresher place, for me the rest feels humid, suffocating and grandiose and I find it quite scary and oppressive.

Just realised the negative association may be that it reminds me of those old stop motion films like King Kong...Which I found scary when I was younger due to the sluggish, wild, inhuman animation. I am a big fan of animation generally, and it can be spooky as anything so long as it feels in some way human and like a perceptive mind is driving it.

I would love to hear more details regarding everyone elses experiences of it.

Cat Moody:

Btw, to answer my own question, the aspects I find enjoyable about it are the glimpses of blue sky behind it and the mountains because they seem like escape to a fresher place, for me the rest feels humid, suffocating and grandiose and I find it quite scary and oppressive.

Just realised the negative association may be that it reminds me of those old stop motion films like King Kong...Which I found scary when I was younger due to the sluggish, wild, inhuman animation. I am a big fan of animation generally, and it can be spooky as anything so long as it feels in some way human and like a perceptive mind is driving it.

I would love to hear more details regarding everyone elses experiences of it.

I know nothing about the Cadmus story which may alter my understanding of the painting; however, I do find the painting incredibly powerful.  The colours are rich and striking, and seem to give the picture a sense of oppression/hardship.  The figure in the painting is looking in front of her feet, which I would normally associate with a low self esteem; but, along with the powerful stance I get a sense of level headed self assurance and she knows exactly where she's going.     The harder I study the painting the nore it seems like it is she that is bringing the oppression/hardship.

Gruff.

Just an FYI, it's a he. Cadmus is the fabled founder of Thebes.

He slew a great water-dragon, after it killed his comrades, who came to the dragon's wellspring, to gather water for a sacrifice to Athena.

Athena instructed Cadmus to "Sow the Dragon's Teeth" in the soil around the spring. In time, the teeth "sprouted" into a warrior race of men known as the "Spartes". Cadmus enlisted them in helping him build the Cadaium - the temple at the heart of Thebes.

Afterward, Cadmus was sentenced to eight years of punishment by Ares, for the crime of killing his dragon. When Cadmus was finally released, he was wed to Harmonia.

There is TONS of great symbolism and allegory in this story. Athena is the goddess of Wisdom, Peace, and Reason -- but she is also the Goddess of War. Ares is the God of Bloodlust (War Throng). So, the painting could be symbolizing a struggle between reason and passion?

Water is often used in mythology as a symbol of cleansing, or change (ergo, the phrase "Watershed moment").The slaying of the water-dragon is supposed to be one such symbolic moment of great change (as far as I can remember). So, perhaps the artist was trying to say something symbolic about the time when this work was done?

I also wonder what the painter's intent was, with the cloth that Cadmus is entwined in. It looks very serpentine. Also, Cadmus' legs seem "bound" in it.

Gruff:

The figure in the painting is looking in front of her feet, which I would normally associate with a low self esteem; but, along with the powerful stance I get a sense of level headed self assurance and she knows exactly where she's going. 

This is a lovely meaning with this it would make sense that you can't stop looking at it.
Weird as well that it is the opposite of my feeling..You gain a vision of control and someone knowing where they are going where as I get an impression of scary out of control movement due to my association with King Kong, although Greg has a good point about the masses of fabric wrapped around the figure.

If I find music/a picture with a meaning for me that meets something I feel or want to believe in at the time, I look/listen to them repeatedly, is there something occuring in your life that would relate to the meaning you found in this?

It just occurred to me how much motion is going on in this picture.  Cadmus, himself, is obviously acting and moving, the dust below him seems to be bellowing up from his steps, and both the clouds and the cloth seem to be driven to motion by the action of Cadmus.  That along with the very simple color scheme and the primal red tint to the whole thing makes for a very powerful picture.

It's interesting that it took me so long to see this.  I've looked at this picture frequently since you've first posted it and have not found any words to describe its impact until now.

Cat Moody:

Gruff:

The figure in the painting is looking in front of her feet, which I would normally associate with a low self esteem; but, along with the powerful stance I get a sense of level headed self assurance and she knows exactly where she's going. 

This is a lovely meaning with this it would make sense that you can't stop looking at it.
Weird as well that it is the opposite of my feeling..You gain a vision of control and someone knowing where they are going where as I get an impression of scary out of control movement due to my association with King Kong, although Greg has a good point about the masses of fabric wrapped around the figure.

If I find music/a picture with a meaning for me that meets something I feel or want to believe in at the time, I look/listen to them repeatedly, is there something occuring in your life that would relate to the meaning you found in this?

I suppose it could be me in the picture; I'm taking steps now to enhance my career and eventually move to CA.  The veil could be my old self trying to hold me back.