Demeter And Persephone – A3 Print

Inspired by the story of the ancient Greek goddesses Demeter and Persephone.

Demeter, goddess of agriculture and harvests, one day realised her daughter Persephone was missing. She spent endless days searching for her, and in her absence the agriculture on earth began to wither and die, and mortals suffered. Zeus, king of the gods and goddesses, intervened and helped Demeter find her daughter – she had been taken to the underworld by Hades. She had initially gone against her will, but in time had grown to love the king of the underworld. She was given a choice – to leave her beloved Hades, or to go home to her loving mother. Hades, afraid of losing her, gifted her six pomegranate seeds, knowing that if she ate them, she would be unable to leave. The unknowing Persephone ate the seeds, and chose to stay with Hades. However, the earth was still suffering in Persephone and her mothers absence, and Zeus declared that for six months of the year, Persephone would stay with Hades, but for the other six, she would return to her mother. For this reason, Persephone is seen as the goddess of Spring – the time she comes back from the underworld, and the earth blooms once again.

Original hand drawn illustration digitally printed on to lovely 300gsm off-white Tintoretto Gesso paper, with a dappled finish.

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