Who is pygmalion in mythology

He kissed her. It was indeed alive! The veins when pressed yielded to the finger and again resumed their roundness. Slowly it dawned on Pygmalion that the animation of his sculpture was the result of his prayer to Goddess Aphrodite who knew his desire. At last, the votary of Aphrodite found words to thank the goddess.

Soon Pygmalion and Galatea were wed, and Pygmalion never forgot to thank Aphrodite for the gift she had given him.

Aphrodite blessed the nuptials she had formed, and this union between Pygmalion and Galatea produced a son named Paphos , from whom the city of Paphos in Cyprus this city was sacred to Aphrodite , received its name. Pygmalion and Galatea brought gifts to her temple throughout their life and Aphrodite blessed them with happiness and love in return. The unusual love that blossomed between Pygmalion and Galatea enthralls all. Even to this day, countless people and young lovers are mesmerized by this exceptional love that existed between two persons at a time when civilization was in its infancy.

The basic myth of Pygmalion and Galatea has been widely transmitted and re-presented in the arts through the centuries.

He is oblivious to the women peering through his doorway, along with his previous statues that remind us of the Three Graces. He sees in his mind an image of the perfect woman he has yet to create.

One day, Pygmalion completes his creation of the woman of his dreams. As a result, he falls hopelessly in love with it. In a moment of inspiration, he names the figurine Galatea. This shows the work he has put into perfecting it. In the meantime, the city is celebrating a festival in the name of the goddess Aphrodite. While making offerings to Aphrodite, Pygmalion prays with all his heart and soul for the goddess to bring his statue to life.

Touched by his deep veneration, the goddess visits his studio. She is amazed by the beauty she has discovered. Consequently, she grants the artists his wish. Upon returning home Pygmalion notices a flush on the cheeks of the sculpture.

Therefore, he slowly realizes that his prayer was heard. He embraces Galatea, and life comes into the cold marble. Their love blossoms and they exchange wedding vows. With the blessings of the goddess Aphrodite, they live happily ever after.

The couple even has a son, Paphos, who later founded the city Paphos in Cyprus. Burne-Jones made two series of oil painting illustrating the story. The first series of paintings consists of four panels. The artist made these between , at an early stage of his career. With monochromatic tones and rather rigid forms, at the time the artist was still in the process of developing his style and emulated his mentor and friend Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The second series, shown here, however, were made between They feature a much brighter palette.

They have the solemn and statuesque style of figures he is known for. Additionally, this series of paintings secured Burne-Jones as one of the most influential artists among the members of his group. DailyArt Magazine needs your support. Every contribution, however big or small, is very valuable for our future. Thanks to it, we will be able to sustain and grow the Magazine.

Thank you for your help! Of course the sculptor Pygmalion is Professor Higgins and the statue that comes alive is Eliza Doolittle. In the myth the statue changes into a woman, Eliza also changes. First she was a flower girl without much money and by the end of the play she is transformed into a lady. Henry Higgins and Pygmalion both create something new and beautiful out of a kind of untouched and raw material.

At the end of the story neither Higgins nor Pygmalion are the dominating characters but Galatea and Eliza. He alters Eliza for his own satisfaction and to win a bet. He is only motivated by his ambition to rid the uneducated girl of her dialect and to introduce her in society.

After she becomes a lady he loses interest in her. On the other hand Pygmalion changes the statue into a woman because he desires a perfect woman and he loves her. Eliza wants to be independent and to live her own way, not as a creation of Higgins. Pygmalion fell in love with a statue of the goddess Aphrodite and prayed for a wife as gorgeous as the statue. When Aphrodite saw the sculpture she brought it to life. Pygmalion and the woman married. Pygmalion was a very talented sculptor.

Because of that Pygmalion was disappointed and decided to sculpt a female statue out of ivory. After he had finished this work, he fell in love with his sculpture. The sculptor prayed that his statue would come alive and in answer to his request the goddess Venus breathed life into the statue.