The Hellenic-Nordic Art

 Bronze sculpture of Odin - Depicted as a Greek God

ODIN (1828)

by Herman Ernst Freund

Housed at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen, Denmark.

BIOGRAPHY

Born in the city of Bremen, Hermann Freund, emigrated to Copenhagen in 1804, at eighteen, to escape conscription in Napoleon's army,  and went to work in his uncle's workshop in that city, learning how to make locks.  He soon left the smithy to work in the mint as an engraver, which left him more time to practice drawing and modeling in the Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen. Besides studying mechanics, anatomy and perspective,  he loved to study history, mythology, languages and literature. When Copenhagen was bombarded in 1807 by the English, Freund took part in its defense.  In 1811, he acquired Danish citizenship. A man of few means, Freund found nobody in Copenhagen to teach and guide him in his art. After graduating from the Art Academy, Freund spent ten years in Rome, where he became sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen's closest assistant, before returning to Copenhagen.

For several years Freund could not make up his mind whether to choose engraving or sculpture for his profession. In a letter from October 1820, Jonas Collin, the powerful secretary of the Fonden ad usus publicos, "Fund for Public Uses" (1803-1832),  who knew Freund from his work at the mint and remained a faithful friend, suggested Freund attempt to treat subjects from Norse mythology. Collin joined forces with some famous artists in Denmark, who, as the Scandinavian Literary Society, offered prizes for artistic representations of Nordic mythology in Copenhagen in 1821. Collin personally sent his friend Freund an invitation to this competition along with a copy of Finn Magnusen's Poetic Edda (1821) and Adam Oehlenschläger's, new at the time, Nordens Guder (Nordic Gods, 1819). Freund took great interest and immersed himself in the books, which soon caught his imagination. During the winter of 1821-22, he modeled sketches for a series of 12 figurines from Norse mythology including Odin, Freya, Thor, Balder, Bragi and Idun. Some of the sketches are now known only through the copper engraving by S. H. Petersen.  Freund won the competition for sculpture with sketches for statues of the Norse gods, of which only Odin was realized​​in bronze on a small scale. 

INFO TAKEN FROM:

northvegr.com

germanicmythology.com

The Arrows of Arash

 

‘For Iran, I place my life in the bow’ — Iranian design displayed on a billboard in Tehran’s Vanak Square during the conflict with Israel in June 2025.

The design shows Arash the Archer, a character from Persian mythology, firing his bow while missiles fly behind him. The text reads in full: ‘For Iran, I place my life in the bow; the arrows of Arash split the sky.’ In the mythology, Arash is best known for being the archer whose arrow set the border between Iran and neighbouring Turan. Following a war between the two, a peace agreement stipulates that Iran’s borders will stretch as far as an arrow flies: an angel grants Arash divine strength and he fires the arrow a great distance, expanding Iran’s borders.

This design was apparently commissioned and produced by the Owj Arts and Media Organization, a cultural organisation associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (or IRGC) that had produced many similar designs for display in Tehran’s squares. The artist is named as Rouhollah Mokhtari in a post on Owj’s Telegram channel.

Taken from PROPAGANDOPOLIS

Refraction of the Oversoul

 

ARDITI - REFRACTION OF THE OVERSOUL

On their ninth full-length release, Arditi once again demonstrates their monumental force, sounding more powerful and relentless than ever while pushing their Epic Martial Industrial into even brighter and deeper territory.

An uncompromising vision that stands as a profound affirmation of their singular sound and their mastery of its unmistakable aesthetic.

Available from:

https://arditisweden.blogspot.com/

https://flutteringdragon.bandcamp.com/album/arditi-refraction-of-the-oversoul

“Out of Chaos: The Rise of Archetypes.”

“The old gods are dead; the Eastern belief in an emperor who rules ‘by the grace of God’ is irretrievably lost, and the deification of ‘the state in itself’ has likewise vanished, because it had become a bloodless schema devoid of substance. Democracy triumphed even as it was already in a state of parliamentary decay, and the rigid churches no longer satisfy the seeker; therefore, an army of sectarians seeks inner stability from street apostles or tent preachers who ‘seriously explore’ the entire Jewish Bible in order to prophesy eternal life here on earth for themselves and their followers: the race-less idea of internationalism has thus reached its zenith. 

 Bolshevism and global trusts are its harbingers of the downfall of an era more hypocritical and dishonorable than any European history has ever witnessed. Chaos has today been elevated almost to the status of a deliberate agenda item, and as the final consequence of an era eroded by democracy, the unnatural heralds of anarchy are making their presence felt in all major cities of every nation, with the fuel for unrest being present in Berlin, just as it is in New York, Paris, Shanghai, and London.

 As a natural defense against this global threat, a new experience is sweeping across the globe like an indescribable force, one that instinctively and consciously places the idea of national identity and race at the center of thought, linked to the organically given highest values of each nation—values around which its sentiments revolve and which have always defined its character and the richness of its culture. Millions now suddenly grasp as their task what had been partly forgotten and partly neglected: to experience a myth, to create an archetype, and to build a state and a way of life out of this archetype.”

ALFRED ROSENBERG - The Myth of the Twintieth Century

SEE ALSO:

On Modern Technological Society

Let the Wind Speak.....

 

MARY DE RACHEWILTZ

(9th of July 1925 - 24th of July 2026)

SEE ALSO:

The Italian Cantos of Ezra Pound

Electronic Poetic Mysticism

Written

By

Mariusz Mandarynka

 I remember always dreaming that Edgar Froese would one day turn to the works of his dark literary namesake. Edgar Allan Poe is, after all, a perfect subject for musical visionaries like Froese. As we know, The Alan Parsons Project handled this theme brilliantly on their debut album from 1976. One could also mention the dark masterpiece by Peter Hammill, leader of Van der Graaf Generator — The Fall of the House of Usher — as well as Lou Reed, who together with a group of friends created The Raven, something like a rock opera inspired by Poe’s stories.

And now, here it is — my wish has finally come true. I admit I had doubts whether Froese could truly capture the gloomy atmosphere of Poe’s tales. In my mind, I hoped the music would revolve around the minor-key moods of Tangerine Dream’s excellent film score Motta Atma, and… fortunately, that is exactly what happened.

Of course, there is no trace of the stereotypical Tangerine Dream sequencer patterns from recent years. For example, the astonishing track “Fay Bewitching The Moon” surprised me in the best possible way. It is precisely this element of unpredictability in Froese’s music that I love so much. It’s true that in recent years his compositions have become somewhat predictable, but the fantastic, fiery cello performance moved me deeply. The musical background is also fascinating — reminiscent of his old solo albums. These pulsing, misty synthesizers tell a story, I think a mysterious one, as if something is lurking on a path full of surprising paranormal phenomena. I see beautiful yet dark visions, something like a polar aurora on the horizon, something foggy passing by… hmm… perhaps hallucinations, illusions? I must admit, the magic of this piece overwhelms me, and the only disappointment is its short duration. A pity. Every self-respecting lover of the “mandarin dream” simply must obtain this album for this mystical track alone.

But that is not the last enchantment on this release. Here comes “Cycle Of Eternity”, which begins in darkness and then transforms into an extraordinary, eclectic musical journey. Once again, we hear cello improvisations, beautifully highlighting the historical aspect of the era in which the extraordinary protagonist of this musical tale lived and created. There are graceful melodies that gently weave into a ticking, sizzling pulse forming the backbone of this intriguing composition. The combination of cello and modern synthesizers fills me with admiration — something that hasn’t often happened in Tangerine Dream’s recent productions. Is this the end of my subjective impressions? Not at all.

“Death In The Shadow”, as its dark title suggests, is not a trip to a sunny beach — it is an entry into the mysterious, shadowy world of Poe’s stories. Froese’s musical vision introduces his modern instrumental palette, and fortunately it does not clash with Poe’s darkness. The electronics open our senses even further; through various sonic details Froese expands my admiration for what Poe once created with his pen.

The final composition, “Darkness Veiling The Night”, is a very melancholic ending to the album. The sonic ornaments are surprising, and the music — despite dealing with a dark subject — is charming and gives a kind of positive energy. At least that’s how I perceive it; this is only my subjective commentary. But I think it would be very unfair to dismiss this release as “just another Edgar production.” Absolutely not. If someone disagrees, so be it. I fear that in an era of emotionless music consumption, in these schizophrenic times, this Tangerine Dream work may be forgotten. I listen to this disc again and again, constantly discovering fascinating sonic details. To encourage Tangerine Dream fans to buy this album, I’ll mention the characteristic analog sounds used by Froese — the very ones that defined the band’s sonic identity in the 1980s. Those who love such now‑cult albums as Poland, Exit, or White Eagle will, thanks to The Island Of The Fay, once again experience moments of mandarin‑colored delight.

I strongly recommend this new Tangerine Dream work. Yes — work of art. I have absolutely no doubt about that.

SEE ALSO:

Dante's Inferno

The Solitude of Heroic Death

The grave steel of the shipwrecked Demokleides – A minimalist work from the 4th century BC about the immenseness of the sea, the solitude and the pain of a heroic death.

The deceased Demokleides, son of Demetrius - his name is engraved on the epistyle, above his head - is depicted sitting on the ground with his knees raised, in front of the prow of a war trireme, as indicated by the protruding, curved ram.

He wears a tunic with short sleeves and sits on his chlamys. He has placed his weapons, a shield and a Corinthian helmet, next to him. He was a hoplite.

He supports his head with his right hand, resting on his knees, immersed in immense sadness for his lost life or for his cruel fate that destined him to remain unburied far from his homeland.

The sculptor emphasizes the idea of the infinite sea by shrinking the figure of Demokleides, placing him high on the stele, leaving a large void to occupy the greater area of the column, thus emphasizing the dramatic effect of his story.

The abstraction and minimalism of the column are accentuated by the absence of colors that would once have emphasized the details of the ship. The lower smooth part of the column would have been colored light blue to indicate the sea.

Both the armament and especially the ship's ram testify that the young man met a heroic death in a naval battle. The stele was probably erected by his family over his cenotaph, in his homeland, since the sea became his grave.

SOURCE: Hellenic National Archaeological Museum