| This thesis is a formal investigation of the theory and influences behind my body of work for the MFA thesis exhibition. It starts with an investigation into the mythological aspects of Renaissance and Baroque paintings as well as heroism in Greek and Roman arts followed by a review of the developments of heroism and mythology1 in modern day mass media and popular culture. Through studying other contemporary artists who reference mythological constructs, I contextualize the theme of my painting, inspect the influences of my artistic approaches, and describe the formation of my body of work that represents a contemporary interpretation of the classical heroic painting tradition in western art history and culture.;Keywords: heroic painting; mythological painting; Renaissance painting; Baroque painting; contemporary heroes 1.;1Contemporary mythology is a recently developed field that describes modern stories that are similar to traditional myths, such as those of the Greco-Roman world. For a brief overview of its history and modern day applications, see "Contemporary Mythology," Web. |
