Ban Bi

The deer is a very traditional topic in all cultures of almost everywhere.

From the painting of cave-men to contemporary art deers appear continuously.

It seems, this animal attracts much more attention than other creatures.

Grotte de Lascaux, France approx. 20.000 years

Deers seem to be a perfect symbolic animal. Their appearance is impressive.

They strength is enormous and their fights are dramatically ritualized.

Their antlers are not to overlook. Weapon and crest. They reassemble the stereotype of male fertility in emblem manner.

No wonder, people did connect a bouquet of myths to them. Too many mythic roots to follow.

Grotte des Trois Fréres ,France approx. 20.000 years

Some narrations were loaded with religious conceptions. Shamans of different peoples connect their spiritual energy to the stag.

They perform their rituals in corresponding masks since prehistoric times. Physical and spiritual features merging into one.

Joseph Beuys, “Lightning with stag in Its Glare” (1958 – 85), Guggenheim Museum

“Diana and Actaeon” Lucas Cranach the elder 15. Century, Germany

Greek mythology tells us the drama of the hunter Actaeon, who accidentally peeps the goddess Diana taking a bath in her hideaway. Overwhelmed by her ravishing beauty he hesitated for a moment before withdrawing. Furiously mad at Actaeon for his disgrace she curses him to be transformed into a stag, witch immediately is hunted and killed by his own dogs.

Because the story of Diana and Actaeon tells us paradigmatically about desire, about the twisted bound of sexuality with beauty, verity, ecstasy and death, this topic is quite often to be found in European art history.

“The Origin of painting” Wilhelm Eduard Daege, Germany (1805-1883)

Another Greek myth explains the origin of painting to us. It tells about a woman in love, who’s lover has to go for war. To retain a lasting keepsake of him, who possibly will never return, from the battle, she draws his picture at the wall by following the outline of his shadow with a charcoal.