Choosing a title for a new painting can be an exciting moment and usually a lot of thought is invested to make a decision.
And here it is, Theo's latest painting: 'Lady Of The Lake'.
Lady Of The Lake, oil on canvas 60cm x 80cm
That was all well and good until a customer proposed a different idea. 'Why don't you call it Aphrodite At The Lake? The historical reference will create an added connection with the viewer.'
Well as the myth goes, Aphrodite arose from the white foam on the island of Cyprus, floating ashore on a scallop shell on the western coast near Paphos, beautifully depicted in Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, Venus being the Roman counterpart to the Greek Aphrodite.
You could say 'Lady Of The Lake' is Theo's modern take on an ancient theme, exchanging the rocky shores of Paphos with a little lake in Larnaca. True to form Theo takes his inspiration from his local environment, and a keen observer may recognize a bit of Oroklini. You may not see such majestic Flamingoes at this nature site, but a smaller species of this bird can often be spotted in this wetland during the winter months.
But the burning question remains, did we choose the right title? We would love to hear what you think.
6 comments
Definitely not Aphrodite – this painting is too modern for that title. I think ‘Lady of the Lake’ makes the painting more mysterious ‘Who is she?’ ‘Why is she there?’ ‘Why are the flamingos not scared and flying away?’.
Hi Ade, what I particularly love about the title is the reference to King Arthur, I’m glad you picked up on this.
Personally, I think any reference to Aphrodite would be a little ‘kitsch, or cheesy’, as so many things purport to be of Aphrodite.
‘Lady of the Lake’ is referred to in Arthurian legend …. She is mentioned in many stories, including that of giving Excalibur to King Arthur, enchanting Merlin, and also one of raising Lancelot after the death of his father.
Of the two, I would choose Lady of the Lake, but might also look for something a little more original.
I think the picture is saying more. Beauty at the lake or the lakes of beauty.
A wonderful painting. :)
Perhaps he should call it Leda and the Flamingos.