Unique Artifacts
to cherish for a lifetime
The Lyre as a Symbol: Deciphering 59 Masterpieces of Art
49.00 €
“The Lyre as a Symbol embarks on an enchanting journey through pivotal moments in portraying this unique instrument in paintings.” — Stella Kourmpana, Head of the Athens Conservatoire Historical Archives
“A collection of artistic masterpieces that demonstrate how the lyre inspired artists throughout the ages. The symbolism detectable in each painting makes us aware of how ancient myths that are intertwined with the instrument and how the ideas they express were transformed throughout three and a half millennia to embrace not just music but all the arts and human culture in general.” — Armand D’Angour, Professor of Classical Languages and Literature, Faculty of Classics, University of Oxford
“This entire iconographic corpus facilitates our understanding of the symbolic power of the lyre in Western paintings.” — Zdravko Blažeković, Director of the Research Center for Music Iconography, The Graduate Center, City University of New York
From the instrument of gods and heroes to the hands of poets and singers, the lyre gradually became a symbol so powerful that her journey through history has no equal.
It is this journey that The Lyre as a Symbol traces, from the ancient world to the Renaissance and into the 20th century, through the eyes of painters and artists of all disciplines and movements, from the masters of the High Renaissance and the realism of the Neoclassicists to the illusions of the Symbolists.
The book features an impressive collection of 59 representative masterpieces depicting the lyre while shedding light on the artist’s intentions and symbolic thought and trying to decipher the cultural and artistic background of each time.
Through its pages, we witness the lyre’s many roles and forms as she transcended her material nature to become, in the hands of artists, the symbol of an entire civilization and a direct connection to the divine that lies in all of us.
_Credits
Nikolaos Koumartzis, D.Phil. (editor-in-chief)
Fotis Giantsios, M.Litt. (research director)
Michael J. Griffin, D.Phil. (scholarly advisor)
Zdravko Blažeković, Ph.D. (foreword)
Stella Kourmpana, Ph.D. (foreword)
_Publication ID
Hardcover Premium Edition
Dimensions: 24,5 x 34 cm
Pages: 176
Color: Full color
Paper: Art paper
The ancient Greek lyre is undoubtedly a musical instrument with a great history and an even greater future, as she can move both aspiring and professional musicians with ease. Almost a decade ago, we began building an ecosystem around this ancient musical instrument, and a vibrant worldwide community soon started to form. With The Song of the Lyre, and its companion art book, The Lyre as a Symbol, we launch a series of publications uncovering the depth of the Lyre’s mythos. Soon, more books, equally compelling, will follow.
Museum
Shop
Pieces of history
Bring the Museum
back Home
There is no benefit when music stands secret and hidden.
— Lucian, 2nd c. CE
SEIKILO Museum offers a fine selection of premium products closely related to our ancient world's musical heritage. Whether a replica of a lyre or another ancient musical instrument, sheet music of ancient surviving melodies, books about the history & myths of music in ancient Greece, or pristine quality recordings of ancient-inspired melodies, you can take with you a unique piece of history that you will cherish for a lifetime and even pass on to the next generation of your family.
Explore more in the options below...
Bring the Museum to your Home
Acquire an Artifact
Discover the magic of ancient music with the handcrafted instrument recreations of the unique SEIKILO collection, such as a lyre, a kithara, a phorminx, or a pandura!
Preserve the Stories
All the myths and stories you heard during your visit to the SEIKILO Museum are but a mere fragment of what was written. Explore the legacy of the lyre through SEIKILO museum-quality books!
Experience Ancient Music at Home
Replicate the amazing experience of a SEIKILO museum visit by listening to studio-quality recordings of surviving ancient melodies and contemporary compositions on ancient musical instruments.
Ancient Games, Modern Play
Αncient Greeks designed a series of highly educational games through which the youngsters sharpened their minds and developed critical thinking. Experience the timelessness of play with our series of ancient board games for the whole family, handcrafted with premium materials.