HOME | DD
Published: 2008-03-26 23:19:14 +0000 UTC; Views: 1572; Favourites: 18; Downloads: 14
Redirect to original
Description
This is for 's contest. [link]Her Gods, Godesses and Mythology contest. I figured, what the hell, and decided to give it a try.
Griffin or Gryphon was a giant creature with the head and wings of an eagle, but the body and hindquarters of a lion.
There are only a few references of the griffins in the Greek mythology. The Greek historian, Herodotus, who claimed they come from the land of the Hyperboreans. The griffins were most likely of Asiatic origin.
In his play Prometheus Bound, Aeschylus mentioned the griffins with their sharp beaks. Aeschylus says that the griffins lived around the river rolling gold alongside with the hounds of Zeus and the mounted one-eyed Arimaspians. The geographer Pausanias reported that the griffins were seen guarding their hoards of gold from the thieving one-eyed Arimaspians, their neighbours.
However, there are many depictions of griffins in paintings, both in Bronze Age Crete and Greece, as well as in classical Greece. In the Minoan civilisation (Bronze Age), seals have been found, where naked woman or goddess held a griffin by the ear. This goddess was known as the Mistress of Animals, who was later identified with the Artemis, goddess of hunting and wild creatures.
The Griffin reappeared in medieval legend; they were often used on heraldic banners and coat of arms.
used from: [link]
Elapsed Time: 4 days, 5 hours and 30 minutes
Tools: Adobe Photoshop with Mouse (done before I had my tablet, and fixed up after tablet)
Media: Digital Painting
Related content
Comments: 9
Deorse [2010-05-18 15:24:38 +0000 UTC]
Really awesome, though its kind of weird how I found this under the search of Artemis.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
brohne [2008-03-26 23:22:22 +0000 UTC]
Very nice. I like the color you choose for the gryphon. Hope you do well in the contest.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
cradleofdoom In reply to brohne [2008-04-02 20:28:29 +0000 UTC]
thank you. don't hear or read of too many silver gryphons.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0






















