The Phorcydes c. 1864 - 1868

Elihu Vedder painted "The Phorcydes," a rather brooding vision of figures from Greek myth. These are the Graeae, sisters who share one eye and one tooth, here emerging from the churning sea. Note how Vedder depicts them, their bodies almost emerging from the ocean itself, hair like seaweed. This connection to the sea is key. We see this motif echoed through time, from ancient depictions of sea nymphs to Botticelli's Venus, born of the sea foam. The wild hair, the implication of hidden knowledge—consider the figures of the Delphic Sibyl. Think of how these symbols have traversed the ages. The image resonates on a deeper level. Their shared eye and tooth speak to a loss of individuality and a primal, instinctual mode of existence, a theme that has echoed through centuries. It is a reminder of the enduring power of myth, constantly reappearing and adapting in our collective consciousness.