Hesperides - Nymph Goddesses of the Sunset

The Hesperides in Greek mythology were thought to be nymph-goddesses of evenings and the golden afternoon light (now known as golden hour). They are daughters of Nyx, the goddess of the night, or Atlas, the sky-bearing titan. The Hesperides were entrusted to keep good care of Hera's tree that grew golden apples, a gift from Gaia herself on her wedding day. Usually, the number of Hesperides shown is three - Aegle, Erytheia, and Hespere. Sometimes there is a fourth, Arethusa, and in other cases even up to seven.

I believe that these three nymph-goddesses will make a great addition into my series because it intertwines with the idea of playing with the concept of time and how we are given it - we have the sunrise, the night, the dawn and moonlight already. Bringing these figures into the series almost feels as if I am forming some sort of sisterhood of those that bring us time, and therefore the sense that we are always being watched over.

In the earliest legends, these nymphs are described as living on the river Oceanus, in the extreme west (Hes. Theog. 334, &c., 518; Eurip. Hipp. 742); but the later attempts to fix their abodes, and the geographical position of their gardens, have led poets and geographers to different parts of Libya, as in the neighbourhood of Cyrene, Mount Atlas

Family;

• Mother - Nyx (Goddess of the night)
  And again the goddess murky Nyx, though she lay with none, bare Momos (Blame) and painful Oizys (Misery), and the Hesperides who guard the rich, golden apples and the trees bearing fruit beyond glorious Okeanos (Oceanus). Hesiod, Theogony 211 ff 

or

•  Atlas & Hesperis (Atlas being the Titan God who lifted the sky, and  Hesperis the daughter of Hesperus, the Goddess of the evening star [venus])

Children;

• Erytheia was the mother of Eurytion (Stesichorus, Geryoneis Fragment S8 (from Oxyrhynchus Papyrus 2617)(C6th to 7th B.C.) :"Over the waves and the waves and the deep brine they [the infant Eurytion and his mother the Hesperid Erytheia] came to the beautiful island of the gods, where the Hesperides have their homes of solid gold.")

Appearance:

I have spoken of this chest previously, which can be found here. Completed in 1887, the chest shows the Hesperides around the tree bearing golden apples that they protect for Hera. The chest blurs the lines between fine art and functional art, being made during the Arts and Crafts movement by one of the founders, Edward Burne Jones. The actual appearance of the Hesperides on this low relief sculpture work shows only two of the nymph-goddesses. They present a narrative that follows the myth of them looking after this tree, with their bodies being in an active yet elegant pose. They are presented doing things that are typically seen as very womanly - caring, feeding, and playing music on an instrument as elegant as a harp. It creates something that is comfortable for us to look at without questioning too much once one knows the myth behind the work - we are used to such stereotypes. One of the unnamed figures looks directly at the viewer, and the other looks at the tree she cares for. This direct eye contact with the viewer creates a connection between the two, but I believe that because of the distance that the goddess-nymph is painted at, the relationship is not as intense or as intimate as a close portrait. Instead, it feels as if she plays her instrument for you as the viewer, she is serving you almost. 
The fact that the scene is painted on a gold base gives them a sense of high importance and ultimate glamour. However, this glamour could be argued to belong to this tree that grows golden apples, as it seems the tree is the main element and the Hesperides are more side pieces to elevate the narrative. 

The Garden of the Hesperides by Edward Burne-Jones (1869)

This painting was also created by Edward Burne-Jones. He often used figures of mythology or fiction, claiming that .. "I mean by a picture a beautiful, romantic dream of something that never was, never will be – in a light better than any light that ever shone – in a land no one can define or remember, only desire – and the forms divinely beautiful – and then I wake up, with the waking of Brynhild.". The women, the nymph-goddesses of this painting exist in a different world than he, and a more beautiful, more romantic world it is. I think that that phrase actually resonates with my own work very strongly, as I use my project as a form of escapism and to share a new world. 

Here, the Hesperides, three this time, dance around the tree they are protecting for Hera, offering a story and a narrative to the painting. Their moves are elegant and feminine, and perhaps even sexual. They seem fluid in motion, giving a freeing and fresh aura to the image. Two of the Hesperides make eye contact with the viewer and the third looks almost sensually towards the ground. The two that look at the viewer also show sign of being seductive, such as relaxed eyelids, tilted heads freeing up the neck, holding hands and curving their bodies. The fabrics they are dressed with look luxurious, as Burne-Jones has given their dresses a sheen of iridescence making them seem very splendid and extravagant - higher above other beings. There are hints of golden light within this sheen, and on the faces and slightly in the background. This could be a nod to how they are the deities of the evening light - golden hour. Their skin is very pale which offers a contrast to the dark environment behind them and their clothes, but also perhaps is an example of how white, pale skin was seen as the epitome of beauty. I really enjoy this painting and the ambience it gives off, it's very intimate, close and the social interaction between is beautiful because of the body movements and the relationship between the three of them. 

The Garden of the Hesperides by Frederick Leighton (1892)

This painting by Frederick Leighton depicts the Hesperides around the golden apple tree, but this time in a much more relaxed and peaceful atmosphere. To me, this painting feels a little less sexually voyeuristic although one of the Hesperides has her breast falling out of her dress. I think this is because their poses don't seem like they are aimed to create a sexual atmosphere, there is no direct eye contact and it feels very naturally beautiful. Their relationship feels very close, but in a way that is full of trust and honesty. The women to the left and right of the image both rest their heads on the middle figure, and they are all doing their own independent things rather than being depicted as one. This could reflect the fact that it's commonly believed that Leighton was homosexual, and therefore wouldn't feel as much of a need to sexualise these deities.
The painting is very warm in tone, which one could suspect to be due to the fact that they control the evening light. 

They seem very at one with nature, with the two birds in the foreground looking comfortable even with the presence of these nymph-goddesses, and the fact that the dragon figure that helps the Hesperides protect the tree also seems very comfortable with them, it makes them feel like we as the viewer can trust them. 
Aside from the tree, there are similarities we can start to see between these depictions, such as the dragon that accompanies the tree. One of the Hesperides from the Chest painted by Edward Burne-Jones is feeding the tree or the dragon of the tree from a bowl, and similarly one of them in this painting is holding a bowl, either herself eating food or preparing it. The figure on the left is playing the same harp-like instrument as one of the Hesperides from the chest does also. This helps me understand their commonly thought roles.

Garden of the Hesperides by Albert Herter (1898)

This painting of the Hesperides by Albert Herter shows a different point of view of the three of them. It focusses even less on the tree and their relationship to it, and instead more emphasis is made on the three Nymph-Goddesses. It feels as if it could have been influenced by Leighton's painting above, which could have been possible because Leighton was a very influential artist at the time this painted was created. I say this because it shows the three of them being very comfortable, with heads resting upon each other, and looking rather tired together. I think what makes this image beautiful to me is the way that the apple in the hand of the middle Hesperis is centered in the image, making it so you can't really ignore it. The way the gold has been painted, and the way that the nature and the dresses intertwine with this colouring makes the image feel very universally glamorous. The textures in the image equally reflect this, using metallics and sheer, flowing materials for the clothes, the gold on the apples and the softness of this skin. This range of texture adds dimension to the image. I think the background looking like a beach - following the myth of the tree being upon the river Oceanus - increases this feeling of peace and tranquillity in the image. 


Overall, I am really interested in using one of these paintings as inspiration for a future shoot. I am leaning towards the last one, by Albert Herter because I feel like for my project, I want to focus on the actual deities and their roles. 
This does bring me to a predicament, however, as I am most interested in showing their role with the evening light, however this seems to be a minor part of their role in Greek mythology and very rarely actually painted, and therefore I will probably have to use a painting that reflects more the relationship and myth between them and Hera's tree. My plan is to do the shoot anyway and then cut it out if it doesn't fit with the others. I think Albert Herter's painting offers the audience a view of a beauty that seems natural and candid - it's effortless on behalf of the Hesperides and to a viewer something so magnificent. The colours and poses resonate with me most.