Persephone - Maiden Goddess
I had the pleasure of working with a new model, named Kelly, last week and it turned out to be an awesome photo shoot. This latest image is one of several sets we took that day. I love the simplicity of this image and the rich symbolism implied in the simple act of Kelly cradling a pomegranate in her palm. If you have ever cut open and eaten a pomegranate you will know that it's filled with lovely ruby-red coloured seeds. The many seeds contained within this fruit symbolize fertility and the fact that they are hidden by the fruit's tough leathery skin refers to the "life of emotions, hidden just under the surface." (Agapi Stassinopoulos, Conversations With the Goddesses) Pomegranate seeds also play an important role in the Greek myth about Persephone, the Maiden Goddess, also known as the Goddess of the Underworld. I want to thank Kelly, for being a pleasure to photograph and for making this image a true work of art. Please see below for a brief account of the story of Persephone...
The beautiful daughter of Demeter and Zeus, Persephone is the focus of the story resulting in the division of the seasons, giving us the sweetness of Spring and the bitterness of Winter. Hades [God of the Underworld] did not woo the beautiful Persephone, he abducted her and took her to his underground kingdom. After much protest, Persephone came to love the cold blooded king of the underworld but her mother, Demeter, was consumed with rage and sorrow. She demonstrated her anger by punishing the earth’s inhabitants with bitter cold and blustering winds. Unless Persephone was returned to her mother’s side, the earth would perish. Hermes was sent to the house of Hades by Zeus to reason with Hades. He entered the kingdom of Hades and negotiated a compromise between the (usually cold and selfish) Hades and the (usually loving and caring) Demeter. Before Persephone could leave the underworld, Hades gave her a pomegranate seed to eat. By doing this he bound her to himself and his kingdom. When Demeter found out about the trickery she was angry but she was also resigned that there was nothing she could do... her loving daughter was bound to the Lord of the Dead. With no alternative, it was agreed that Persephone would to spend part of the year with her husband, Hades, and part of the year in the sunlight with her mother, Demeter. When Persephone is with Hades the earth is wracked by the sorrow of her mother. But, when Persephone returns from the underworld to walk the earth again, Demeter pours forth the blessings of Spring to welcome her beloved daughter home. Stewart, Michael. "Persephone", Greek Mythology: From the Iliad to the Fall of the Last Tyrant. http://messagenet.com/myths/bios/persephone.html (September 19, 2005)
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