Celtic Art: Celtic Mythology;
realistic illustrations of Celtic Myths & Legends. An
exhibition of Mythic Art by Contemporary American Illustrator
Howard David Johnson,
whose illustrations of Mythology, Folklore, Religion and History
have been published all over the world by distinguished learning
institutions and publishers including the Universities of Oxford and
Cambridge.
"Manannán mac
Lir"
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Presents: Contemporary
Mythical Art Galleries:
Gaelic
Celtic Themed Artwork; A Gallery of New Illustrations~ Paintings, Drawings and
Pictures from Celtic Mythology
in oil paints, acrylics & colored pencils
and digital media in a style inspired by classic
illustrators.
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"Nuada's new hand of flesh and
blood"
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The Gaelic Celtic
Mythological Art of Howard David Johnson
There are more
than 33 million U.S. citizens of Irish ancestry, nine times the
population of Ireland. I originally created these illustrations to
share my Gaelic Celtic heritage with my children who also posed for
some of them. This gallery is dedicated to my kinsmen, to kindred
spirits everywhere, and to our children, and to our children's,
children's, children...
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"Cernunnos-
Horned god of the Celts"
The
Green Man, Lord of the Animals is portrayed as human with an antler
crown, and is protector of animals and law-sayer of hunting and
harvest. He is also a tree, forest, and vegetation god, and his antlers
symbolize the spreading treetops of the forest.
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When
most people think of
Celtic Art they think of design or abstract Celtic Art such as Celtic
Knot work or Celtic Tattoo designs, ornamented tools, weapons, or jewelry. For centuries, there has been a shortage of Realistic Celtic
Art and Illustration until recently a new generation has embraced it.
Recently, there has
been a world wide
revival of
interest in Celtic Art and Celtic Culture.
Gaelic Celtic American
Scientific and Historical Illustrator Howard David Johnson has worked
from the latest archaeological and anthropological evidence to give us
one of the most accurate views ever of the lost civilization of the
Ancient Celts, whose mythology is a kind of enigmatic history.
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"Brigit" (AKA Saint Brigit)
The Gaelic goddess of healers, smiths, childbirth
inspiration and poetry which the Gaels deemed an immaterial, super
sensual form of flame.. Her name means "exalted one"and she is
considered the most important of the Dagda's children.
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Irish
mythology is divided into four main cycles and each one of them
embraces legends from their era and each cycle main has a certain world
to evoke. These worlds could be ones of heroes and warriors or those of
kings’ battles and history. These four cycles are the Mythology Cycle,
the Kings’ Cycle, the Ulster Cycle, and the Fenian
Cycle.
The
Tuatha de Da Naan, the Fomorians and The Red Branch Knights!
The
Tuatha Dé Danann (Irish for "the folk of the goddess Danu"), also known
by the earlier name Tuath Dé or "tribe of the gods" are a supernatural
race in Irish mythology. They represent a mythological pantheon of
deities of pre-Christian Gaelic Ireland.
The Tuath Dé dwelt in the Otherworld but interacted with mortals in the
human world. They were associated with ancient portals to and from the
Otherworld.
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Balor
Balcbéimnech (the strong smiter)
The Dark lord of the
Fomorians-
enemies of the Tuatha De Nanann Said to have come to Ireland from the
underworld up through the depths of the sea...Balor the tyrant is often
described as a giant with a large cyclopean eye that wreaks destruction
when opened.
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Their rivals are the Fomorians (Fomoire),who represent
harmful or destructive powers of nature and who are defeated by the
Tuath Dé in the Battle of Mag Tuired. (Moytura)
The Fomorians were said to be a race of supernatural bloodthirsty,
warrior giants which came from the underworld and were said to possess
power over natural phenomena, in particular destructive elements.
Fomoire may mean “demons from below (the sea)" The Fomorians are often
described as monstrous, hideous-looking monsters with a single leg,
arm, or eye. Irish legends tell many tales of the supernatural Fomorians.
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Nuada
- the Celtic god of War
King
of the Tuatha De Nanann. Nuada Airgetlám (Nuada of the Silver Hand) was
god of the sea, healing, and warfare, linked to Roman gods Mars and
Neptune and also the Norse god Týr. He is also associated with
the sun, youth, beauty, writing, swords and sorcery.
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Each member of the Tuath Dé has associations with a particular feature
of life or nature, but many appear to have more than one association.
They often depicted the Tuath Dé as kings, queens and heroes of the
distant past who had supernatural powers. Some times they were explained as fallen angels
[the Watchers] but some
medieval writers called them gods. They were descended from Nemed,
leader of a wave of inhabitants of Ireland. They came from four cities
to the north of Ireland ~Falias, Gorias, Murias and Finias, where they
taught their skills in the sciences, including architecture, the arts,
and magic, including necromancy. |
The
chieftain gods of the Tuatha dé Danann secured and
advanced the welfare of the people with supernatural powers
and magical
treasures, the Cauldron of Dagda, the Spear of Lugh, the Sword of Nuada
and the Stone of
Fàl.
The men were the Dagda, Lugh, Nuada,
and the women were Danu, Anu, Brigit, and Emain Macha.
Chief members of the Tuath Dé include The Dagda, the chieftain; The
Morrígan; Lugh; Nuada; Aengus; Brigid; Manannán, a god of the sea; Dian Cecht, a god of healing; and
Goibniu, a god of metal smithing and one
of the Trí Dé Dána ("three gods of craftsmanship"). Their tales are set
centuries apart, showing them to be immortals. They were banished from heaven because of their
knowledge and descended on
Ireland in a cloud of mist.
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Lugh with Balor's
severed head at the battle of Mag Tuired ( pr. Moytura)
At
the last Battle of Mag Tuired (pronounced Moytura) Lugh, son of Nuada
the king avenges his father's death on Balor by casting a spear crafted
by Goibniu, Lugh then beheads Balor and his evil eye destroys the
Fomorian army and his deadly eye beam kept blasting until it burned a
hole into the earth. The hole filled with water and became a lake which
is now known as Loch na Súl ("lake of the eye")
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Some people claim that their origin goes
back to Atlantis; The Leabhar Gabhála (Book of Invasions), treats them
as actual people migrating to Ireland and encountering the Fir Bolg and
the Fomorians.
Both races fought for control of
Ireland. Legends have it that their first battle took place near the
Shore of Lough Corrib on the Plain of Mag Tuired. Eventually, victory
was on the side of Tuatha de Danann; they won the battle and took over
Ireland.
Their king died in the battle and they had to choose another
leader. Eventually, the choice fell on Srang; he was the new leader of
the Firbolgs. The battle did not end with the defeat of the Firbolgs;
both races agreed to compromise, the Firbolgs only took Connaught while
the rest of Ireland was given to the Tuath.
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In the First Battle of Magh Tuiredh, King
Nuada of the Tuatha Dé Danann lost his hand and Nuada had his hand
replaced with a silver one by Dian Cecht and Creidhne, but because he
was imperfect, he could not be king. Dian Cecht, the great healer with
the help of his son Miach, and his sister Airmed restored the wounded
of the Tuatha dé Danann after the battle.
The Dagda ~ the Celtic All-Father
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The
Dagda
was foremost among the chieftain gods of the Tuatha dé Danann. He
was a father-figure, a warrior king, associated with fertility,
agriculture, manliness and strength, as well as magic, druidry and
wisdom.
In the Cath Maige Tuired, he reveals that his true name is Fer
Benn ("horned man"), like the horned god of the forest, Cernunnos. But
Dagda continues, relating that his complete name is Fer Benn Bruach
Brogaill Broumide Cerbad Caic Rolaig
The Dagda was called a god of music and played
a magical harp called the Uaithne, also known as "the Four Angled
Music," made of oak and richly ornamented with jewels.
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"The Dagda and his harp,
Uaithne"
The
Dagda (Celtic: “Good God”) was also called Eochaid Ollathair (“Eochaid
the All-Father”), or In Ruad Ro-fhessa (“Red [or Mighty] One of Great
Wisdom”), in the ancient Celtic religion, one of the leaders of a
mythological Irish people, the Tuatha Dé Danann (“People of the Goddess
Danu”). The Dagda mated with the sinister war goddess Morrígan.
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The Dagda was
said to be able to control time and the seasons with Uaithne. This was
how he stopped the sun when his lover Boann was pregnant with his son
Angus Og.
The harp’s music could overcome fear on the battlefield
commanding order in battles or play three types of music which caused
emotion, inspiring great sorrow, joy, or sleep and dreaming.
When
Fomorians stole the harp, the Dagda discovered the keep where it hung
upon a wall. The harp magically flew to his hand when he called it,
killing nine men.
Dagda then used Uaithne, causing his enemies to cry
and laugh uncontrollably, then to fall asleep and dream.
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The
Dagda
possessed great treasures, fruit
trees that were never barren, and two pigs—one live and the other
perpetually roasting, a huge club that had the power both to kill men
and to restore them to life, the Cauldron of Plenty (the coire ansic, or
cauldron which is never dry), sometimes referred to as the Undry. It
was never empty of food and could also be used to restore life to
fallen warriors.
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"Clíodhna, Celtic
goddess of love beauty & the Otherworld"
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"Celtic Princess Melangell the
Runaway Bride"
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"Medrigia Queen of the Fir Bolg"
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"Clíodhna, Celtic goddess of love, beauty & the
Otherworld" [Pr. Klee-na] Said to have been the most beautiful woman in the world, Clíodhna was
also Queen of the Banshees in Ireland. Daughter of the sea god Manannan Mac Lir
she ruled over the sea and the Celtic Isles. She was powerful, her potent magic
allowed her to conjure storms and drive the sea into a frenzy. Her realm is in South Munster, where she lives in Irish folklore as the
Queen of the Munster Fairies. "Celtic Princess Melangell, the Runaway Bride" (Pr. Melan-Gesh) originally an Irish princess who fled an arranged marriage she became a consecrated virgin. One day Brochwel, Prince of Powys, was hunting a hare which took refuge under Melangell’s cloak. In the face of her kindness, the Prince’s hounds fled, and he was moved by her courage and sanctity. He gave her the valley as a place of sanctuary, and Melangell founded a religious community in the valley. Like Brigid, she also was named a saint, patron of God's creatures, especially her beloved hares.
"Medrigia, Wife of Druid King Mogruth and Queen of the Fir Bolg"
According to the Book of Invasions (Lebor Gabála Érenn in Irish), much of Ireland’s population came from invasions including
clans like the Fir Bolg, famous for their epic battle with the Tuatha Dé Danann...
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"The Morrigan"
[aka The Morrigu]" |
"Queen Mab, the Bringer of Dreams" |
"Celtic Queen Boudica and the
Morrigu" |
The Morrigan or the Phantom Queen was the wife of the Dagda,
and Gaelic
goddess of War associated with battle, warriors, and bloodshed, as well
as battle sorcery and prophecy known for appearances in bird form.
Similar to Valkyries in Norse/Germanic culture, gathering the souls of
the slain.
The Heroes of Ulster, the main focus of our exhibit, have no part in
fairyland, but their enemy, Medb or Mave is credited with Queenly
rule among the Sidhe ( Fairies ) and is held by some to be the original
"Queen Mab"
The
Divine Couple
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"No Irish king might rule who does not unite with the goddess of the
land." One of the basic precepts of Celtic religion, according to
Marie-Louise Sjoestedt, is that of the marriage between the chief god
and “one of the Matres” [those trios of goddesses found in Celtic
iconography where there existed the tradition of the territorial
goddess marrying a mortal consort], to bless the land and ensure its
fertility.” Hoping to reconcile
relations between the
Fomorians and the Tuatha Dé Danann
after the Battle of Maige Tuired, (Moytura) the beautiful and
intelligent Fomorian nobleman Bres mac Elathan is crowned king by
reason of marriage to Brigit of the Tuatha De Danann, daughter of the Dagda, a Drudic Priestess, and goddess of poetry and all the wisdom
contained therein. |
“The Mythical Pairing of Brig and Bres”
Their ritual union on the day of Samain when the Celtic year is born,
is to guarantee the ever-renewed vitality of the tribe... This
connection was hoped to bring the two peoples closer together.
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Brigit is considered a goddess of antiquity and greatness; why then was
she married to a man who epitomizes failure in kingship?
Bres’s
reign began well, but the cruel taxation imposed by the Fomoire during
his reign lead to opposition.
This tragic story reverses the intent of
sacral kingship, where the marriage of king and goddess promote the
prosperity of the land. \
Bres made the Tuatha Dé Danann pay tribute to the Fomorians and work as
slaves: Ogma was forced to carry firewood, and the Dagda had to dig
trenches around forts.
He neglected his duties of hospitality: the
Tuatha Dé complained that after visiting his house their knives were
never greased and their breaths did not smell of ale.
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Brigid gave Bres a son,
Ruadan, who would later be killed trying to assassinate Goibniu, the
legendary smith of Ireland and everything went wrong for Bres after
that leading
to his demotion and death.
The
Druidic Healers of the Tuatha De Danann
Healing
the wounds of Battle ~ Knowledgeable in the Healing arts, Ancient
Druids skillfully used herbs and plants for each affliction. In
wartimes, they would craft a special well in the camp, using the most
powerful plants to turn this into a magical health spa. In the first
battle of Mag tuiread we are told: "They brought healing herbs and
crushed and scattered them on the surface of the water in the well, so
that the precious waters became thick and green. Their wounded were put
into the well and immediately came out whole."
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Dian Cécht ( Pronounced Dye
an SET, also known as Cainte or Canta) was the god of healing and
legendary physician for the Tuatha Dé Danann.
He was a master of
Druidic arts and the father of Miach, Airmed, Cu, Cethen
Cian, Ochtriullach and Étan the poet .
When Nuada was
forced
to abdicate after losing his hand in the first Battle of Mag Tuired since
the king must be perfect in body, Dian
Cécht crafted a new one for him, made of silver that functioned in
every natural way.
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“
Dian Cécht, Airmid and
Nuada's new arm of flesh and blood “
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After Bres had
ruled for seven years, Nuada had his severed hand, previously replaced
with a silver one by Dian Cécht and Creidhne,replaced with one of
flesh and blood by Dian Cécht 's son Miach, with the help of his sister
Airmed.
Following the successful replacement, Nuada was restored to kingship
and Bres was exiled, but Dian Cécht, furious that his son Miach's
skills had surpassed his own, killed him.
After being exiled Bres went to
his father for help to recover his throne, |
but
Elatha would not help him gain by foul means what he had been unable
to keep: "You have no right to get it by injustice when you
could not keep it by justice". Bres father directed him to
Balor,
another leader of the Fomorians, for the help he sought. He led
the Fomorians in the Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh but lost. In the
Dindsenchas
Bres is killed at the hand of Lugh, who made a bitter, poisonous
red liquid which was then offered to Bres to drink. Bres, who was under
an obligation not to refuse hospitality, drank it down without
flinching, and it killed him. The Lebor Gabála mentions this incident
briefly, however the deadly liquid is identified as sewage.
The
Green Man ~ Guardian of the Forest
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The Green Man in Celtic Mythology was a sort of forest-god, an emblem of the birth-death-rebirth cycle of the natural year. Not a human-like god of the forest so much as a living part of the forest itself that could manifest in a semi-human form.
The Ancient Celts worshipped him in hope of good harvests, and that he continues to guard the metaphysical gate between the material and immaterial worlds.”
He has been associated with the Celtic Cernunnos and vegetative deities and was sometimes called the “wildman of the wood.”
The Green man was not just a
figure of Celtic myth and folklore~
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“ The
Green Man"
The origins and nature of the Green Man are
unknown and there are scholars who believe that the idea of the figure
arose independently in folklore and traditions, explaining its widespread appearance.
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In fact, evidence of his legends have been found all around ancient
Eurasia. For such a well known
or even ubiquitous figure, the Green Man of folklore remains surprisingly mysterious.
These early sculptures – and, indeed, most visual
representations of the Green Man seen throughout history – show a humanoid face,
usually shaped from leaves and other vegetation.
The earliest known instances of Green Man sculptures date back to at least the 2nd century,
with examples of the figure from Lebanon and Iraq, while other anthropologists have pointed out similar figures from ancient India, Nepal, and Borneo.
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Scáthach;
Mistress of War and goddess of Death
Scáthach (Scottish Gaelic: Sgàthach, Scathach, ) was the most fearsome
warrior woman of old Irish legend. Her name means “the shadowy one” in
Gaelic and she trained great soldiers at her school for heroes. In the
legends, dying while training with Scáthach wasn’t at all unusual. Scáthach’s
training was notoriously intense as she taught skills like pole
vaulting over castle walls and underwater fighting. If her trainees
didn’t survive her regimen, then her charges simply weren’t worthy."The
Warrior Maid" was also the rival and sister of Aífe, both of whom are
daughters of Árd-Greimne of Lethra; If you wanted the honor of training
with her, first you had to find her.
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" Scáthach ~
Teacher of fighters on the Isle of Skye"
Scáthach taught
Cú Chulainn all the arts of war, including
the use of the Gáe Bulg, which was a terrible barbed spear, thrown with the foot,
that has to be cut out of its victim.
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Finding Scáthach?
Indeed,
before any warriors could even ask Scáthach for help, they had to first
find and then reach her domain. The woman’s fortress, called Dun Scaith
(Castle of Shadows), reportedly sat on Isle of Skye northwest of
Scotland.
Kings and princes who wanted to get there had to cross the
Irish Sea, known for its deadly storms and choppy waters, eastward or
navigate the cold waters of the Atlantic northward along the craggy
islands of western Scotland.
Scáthach
was also a formidable magician with the gift of prophecy. She became
the Celtic goddess of the dead, ensuring the passage of those killed in
battle to Tír na nÓg, the Land of Eternal Youth and the most popular of
the Otherworlds in Celtic mythology.
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"Aoife
the Amazon, sister of Scatha"
"Scáthach's
twin sister Aoife [pr. EE-fa] or Aífe was at war with her when Cú
Chulainn came to train on the isle of Skye. He fought Aoife and bested her in combat and then became her lover and she bore a son, Conlaoch
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Scáthach's
instruction of the young
hero Cú Chulainn; In
Ireland’s mythological epic, the Táin Bó Cúailnge, it was said of him
"You will not
encounter a warrior harder to deal with, nor a spear-point sharper or
keener or quicker, nor a hero fiercer, nor a raven more voracious, nor
one of his age to equal a third of his valour.”
Heroes,
Monsters and Magic
The heroes of the Celts, although of divine ancestry
are in a different category than the gods
of the Gaelic Celts, just as Perseus and Siegfried are sons of Zeus and
Woten in Greek and
Nordic mythology.
The Red Branch Knights served Concobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster, a
province of ancient Ireland. |
The greatest Red Branch commander was
Cú
Chulainn, a demigod, the mightiest of the heroes of Irish romance.
The
other chief heroes were Conall Kernach; Laegaire (or Laery) the
Victorious; Keltar of the Battles and Fergus mac Roy.
These Red Branch
Knights, and their contemporaries, heroes of Munster and Connaught,
fought, rode, and raced in chariots; and that they erected immense duns
or forts like Emain Macha that were spread all over Ireland.
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"Queen Mave
betrays Cú Chulainn" |
Cú Chulainn notably appears in Tochmarc Emire (AKA The Wooing of
Emer), called the Irish Iliad, it was an ancient folk tale preceding the great epic Táin Bó Cúailnge. (AKA The
Tain, or the Cattle raid of Cooley)
In it, Cú Chulainn was said to be so beautiful and highly skilled that the
men feared their women were unable to control themselves and it was decided he must
find a bride and marry as soon as possible.
None of the choices brought to him were to his liking so he set out to find a bride on his own.
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"Cú Chulainn son of
Lugh"
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" Scátha"
(zoomed in for close-up)"
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"The
Search for Scatha"
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For more on the Legends of Cú Chulainn, Click on the promo image
below for a link to a gallery with DOZENS of paintings!
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'Celtic
Art and Celtic Mythology: Faeries, Elves and Dragons'
Heroes,
Monsters and Magic
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"Aibell the beautiful Banshee" |
" Dubhlainn Ua
Artigan" |
"The
Dullahan on the Kelpie" |
The
Dullahan or The Headless Horseman Gan Ceann or "without a head" in
Irish.is a type of fairy in Celtic Mythology. He carried a whip made
from the spines of human corpses and wore a hideous grin and roving
eyes that could see for miles in the dark. Those who see him ride by
have blood thrown in their faces or are struck blind in one eye. When
the Dullahan stops riding and calls someone's name that person dies.
The mystic black steed is a Water Kelpie that can send sparks or flame
from it's hooves and nostrils. Sizable bodies of water in Scotland have
Kelpie legends, the most famous of which is the Loch Ness Monster.
Parallels include the Greek Hippocampus, the Scandinavian Backahast or
the Germanic Neck or nixie. The lowland name of a demon in the shape of
a horse.
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"Blodeuwedd and Gwydion" |
"Prospero's Faeries" |
"Morgan Le Fey" |
Blodeuwedd
means "born of the flowers" and is Welsh Celtic Mythology in
English from "The stories of the Mabinogion" translated by the Lady
Charlotte Guest AKA The White book of Rhydderch (Llyfr Gwyn Rhydderch)
finally written in Welsh ca. 1350 & the Red Book of Hergest (Llyfr
Coch Hergest) ca. 1382-1410.
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"The
Celtic Harpist" |
"FAE
Lament" |
"Fairy
Queen Medb" [Mave] |
Queen
Medb (aka
Maeve, Madb or Mave ) is credited with Queenly rule among the Sidhe
(Fairies) and is held by some to be the original "Queen Mab".
The Red Dragon
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"The Red Dragon" or "Y Ddraig Goch" in Welsh,
is
the symbol of Wales and adorns its national flag. This dragon was
featured on the legendary battle standards of King Arthur, the heathen
Celtic gods and historic chieftains and kings.
The Red Dragon was first brought to Great Britain during the Roman era
and history tells us they first learned of it from the Persians. The
Red Dragon or 'draco' symbol was used as a standard by the Roman army
but over time it was adopted by the Welsh people as their national
flag. It is the oldest extant national flag flying today. |
"Y Ddraig Goch" or
"The Red Dragon"
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In Celtic mythology Aibell (below - was also
called Aoibheall (Aeval) was the guardian spirit of the Dál
gCais, the
Dalcassians or Ó Bríen clan. She was the ruler of the sídhe (SHEE) or
the fairy people of Irish folklore, said to live beneath the hills and
identified as the remnant of the ancient Tuatha Dé Danann.
Her
dwelling place was Craig Liath, the grey rock, a hill overlooking the
Shannon in Cúige Mumhan a province in Southern Ireland. Legends
tell us Aibell had a lover named Dubhlainn Ua Artigan and a magic harp
whose melody foretold immanent death.
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The King Arthur Legends' Celtic
Origins:
It is now
generally regarded as fact that the Celtic legends of history
surrounding the medieval King Arthur and Guinevere are really derived
from the Religion of the Ancient Britons ( Celts ) and the attributes
and events of the life of King Artaius and Gwenhwyvar of the
British gods have been applied to the actual historical King
Arthur and Queen Guinevere in an attempt to preserve the oral
traditions of their ancient Celtic spiritual and cultural heritage
against the persecution of the Romans during the dark ages...
Merlin was Myrddin, Mordred was Medrawt, Galahad was Gwalchaved and Sir
Kay was Kai. Was The Lady of the Lake a Celtic lake divinity in
origin, the same kind as the Gwagged Annwn? Or was she originally a
lake fairy from Welsh folklore. Of many, Vivienne is the best choice
for the name of this Lady of the Lake - the one who also enchanted
Merlin and imprisoned him forever.
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"The
Queen's Champion" |
"King
Arthur and Sir Lancelot" |
"The
Lady in the Lake" |
For a gallery with DOZENS of King
Arthur paintings - CLICK
HERE
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Thank you
for visiting The
Celtic Myth & Legend art gallery of Howard David
Johnson...
info@howarddavidjohnson.com
Your
business,
letters, & links are always welcome.
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Enter a world
of Beauty and Imagination...
INDEX of GALLERIES ~
LINKS to LARGER ART
The Realistic and Fantastic Art Galleries of
Contemporary American Illustrator Howard David Johnson
Click on
these Fun Educational
Realistic Art Gallery link icons for Two-fisted Tales of VALOR
&
Frontline Combat featuring Legendary Warriors of History, Knights and
ladies of
Arthurian Legend, Celtic, Nordic, Asian and Olympian gods &
monsters,
unicorns, dragons, fairies... and more!
info@howarddavidjohnson.com
Your
business,
letters, & links are always welcome.
All these pieces of art and the
text are legally copyrighted and were registered with the U.S.
Library of Congress Office of Copyright by the author, Howard David
Johnson All rights reserved worldwide. Permission for many academic or
non-commercial uses is freely and legally available by simply
contacting the author via e-mail or visiting www.howarddavidjohnson.com/permission.htm
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The Ulster
Saga and the chieftain gods of the Gaelic Celts
From THE
ULSTER CYCLE coloured pencil plate # 9 shown actual size
The terrible
tragedy of the Irish Achilles: Cuchulainn unknowingly kills his
abandoned son Conlaech.
When
I began working on these Gaelic Celtic Art illustrations in 1995 I
employed the methods I learned as a scientific illustrator.
I thought
I was dealing with Mythology, which I define as a dead religion.
I am so glad now that I treated the material with respect. What a
surprise to find out after I exhibited them that this religion has
revived in a new form. Of course I say a new form because claims
that this Modern Celtic Paganism is the exact same religion practiced
by the Druids and the Ancient Celts are impossible to
substantiate. This is because the Ancient Celts, like the
Pre-Historic Hebrews had no written language and relied on oral
tradition. Because of this, the harpist was of incredible importance to
the ancient Celts. The harp is the living symbol today of the Gaelic
Celtic oral tradition and Celtic music is now celebrated all over the
world. The only extant accounts of the Druids are brief mentions in the
writings of Julius Caesar from the first century B.C. which go into no
useful details whatsoever on this matter. I've heard it said:
"Ask a hundred Pagans: What is Paganism and you're likely to get a
hundred different answers." This does not make this any easier for
contemporary scholars to sort out. However, It is my American
Scots-Irish family's roots and cultural heritage after all and I feel
what we do have is to be preserved and never to be treated lightly even
if I don't believe any of the supernatural elements in it.
These
illustrations are based on my euhemeristic approach, which attributes
the origin of the gods to the deification of historical heroes or real
persons and events. I created these pictures to teach my children
about their Gaelic Celtic heritage because I could find hardly any to
show them when I told them the old stories. ( For more on my
struggle to sort out history from mythology see the essay "How do we
sort out History and Mythology?" below ). My scholarly Gaelic Celtic
sources* and also, more art & my essays on art and art and
technology follow."
~Howard David Johnson
Bibliography/
Acknowledgements
some
key text sources and recommended reading:
Mr. E.W.B. Nicholson, M.A. "Keltic Researches"
The Lady Wilde "Ancient Legends of Ireland"
Crofton Croker "Fairy Legends and traditions of the South of
Ireland"
John Rhys: "Studies in the Arthurian Legend" and
" Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion as
Illustrated by Celtic Heathendom"
Jo Kerrigan "Old Ways, Old Secrets: Pagan Ireland: Myth *
Landscape * Tradition"
Alfred Nutt: "Popular studies in Mythology, Romance, and
Folklore"
O'Curry: "Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish"
De Jubainville: "Cycle Mythologique Irlandais"
Tacitus: " Annals" and "Agricola"
Julius Caesar: "De Bello Gallico"
Nennius: Historia Britonum
Thank you
for visiting The
Celtic Myth & Legend art gallery of Howard David
Johnson...
info@howarddavidjohnson.com
Your
business,
letters, & links are always welcome.
*****
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