barnsburntdownnow:Saint IrisOlga Volchkova, 2013Acrylic on panelThis flower is named for the Greek g
barnsburntdownnow:Saint IrisOlga Volchkova, 2013Acrylic on panelThis flower is named for the Greek goddess Iris, who, according to the poet Hesiod, was the daughter of the sea god Thaumas and the ocean nymph Electra as well as a sister to the harpies. She was a messenger of the gods and an enforcer of oaths. As oaths among the gods were sealed with water from the River Styx, Iris perpetually carried a ewer of water from the river, which was said to render liars unconscious for one year. Iris is typically portrayed with her ewer and a herald’s staff. Here, her staff takes the form of the flower named for her. -- source link