Flaming June by Sir Frederic Leighton

Frederic Leighton was a British artist of the Victorian era and long-time president of the Royal Academy whose artistic brilliance is behind this painting titled, 'Flaming June'. He was a painter of the neoclassical movement. This painting was presented to the Royal Academy in 1985. It was one of Leighton's final six paintings that were displayed in a group. Among the other five, June seemed a little odd to the eye of the people.

The woman in this painting is enjoying a quiet nap on a terrace on a summer day. Her hair, her dress, her shawl- all of it merges into a river of orange. She is often likened to a nymph sleeping on a chair. The warmth of it all can actually be felt off the screen itself. She takes most of the canvas, her form accused by critics to be more decorative than comfortable. The turquoise waters of the Meditteranean sea glitter behind her. But things are not as calm and serene as it might seem. Because the plant at the top right corner is a deadly poisonous oleander. This might be implemented to allude to the gentle connection between sleep and death. The visual similarity between life and death was a popular concept in the Victorian era.

This poem caught my eye because of this allusion. They say that sleep is death's cousin and that's a notion that I've always believed in. The calmness of the woman, unaware of the symbol of death, right above her makes it all the more interesting. Even though this is considered to be a very simple painting, I think it has much more artistic depth to it than what meets the eye.

Comments

The Root Cause of my Obsession with Greek Mythology- 'The Song of Achilles'

When most people my age are asked about how they first came into contact with Greek mythology, their answers usually end up being Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson book series. But in my case, it's not that. And I don't necessarily mean this as a flex but what made me fall head over heels for the complex tapestry of Greek mythology is Madeline Miller's (absolutely brilliant writer, she is) 'The Song of Achilles.' And oh man oh man, the way that book is one of the most soul-crushing yet beautiful literary pieces to ever exist on this planet! It's the way you know that the story of Achilles, the famous Greek demi-god, is an absolute tragedy, yet Miller's story-writing skills make you pray to every form of divinity to not let it end so. And I think that's an elevated level of tragic experience to the readers in itself- to know how it ends, to know it's not actually rainbows and unicorns, yet (YET!!) to be forced to wish upon every dying star to save the

Stop Silencing and Start Addressing!

Today's blog is once again inspired by a spectacular performance put up by the Malayalam Crew of Theatre No.59 at MCC on Day 2 of the Theatre night. This play, titled 'Rithu', was such an emotional masterpiece that it brought almost the entirety of Anderson Hall (where this event was taking place) to its feet. And God, did even a standing ovation seem far too less of a credit that could be given to the act that was put up on stage. Here, we could see 'Malik', a fifth-grade student from an ordinary working-class family in Kerala, filled with a sense of curiosity about the differences between the male and the female anatomy. When he raises this doubt to his parents, he is shunned and silenced. So he decides to take a peek into the girls' washroom at his school so that he can understand why girls sit down when they pass urine, unlike boys who stand. But he is caught by a teacher of his and is brought to the principal who beats him and shames him, demanding his par

Master Your Mind: 5 Techniques To Improve Your Memory

In the vast landscape of our cognitive abilities, memory is a cornerstone, having immense influence over our academic, professional and personal endeavours. The key to having a sharper memory is not merely memorising everything, but rather enhancing our overall cognitive capability by training our minds using various memory techniques. Some of these techniques I practise (or try to practise) include: Mastering Visualization: Imagine a bright pink strawberry, glistening with water droplets. The vividness of this mental image is precisely the potency of our visualization power. This technique involves creating mental pictures that are not only clear but also strikingly memorable. When given the task of remembering items, try to create a sequence of mental images that are easy to recall which will be imprinted in your head. Mnemonic Devices: These devices turn seemingly complex information into easily digestible nuggets. Acronyms, rhymes and associations are included in these devices. For

Allow Ann to Babble, Please!

Search This Blog