In the world of art, where every element carries a deep meaning, the harp and lyre are magnificent symbols of harmony and sublimity. These instruments, associated with ancient mythology and history, not only amaze with their beauty, but also acquire special significance in art, becoming an integral part of the musical and visual fabric.
Sister strings, the harp and the lyre, embody the harmony and unity of the musical arts. The harp, with its refined sound, is associated with elegance and the spirit of romance. The lyre, in turn, symbolizes epic poetry and musical inspiration. Both instruments, as if merging into a single whole, create a magical atmosphere, calling for the beautiful and sublime.
Let's dive into this wonderful world where the harp and lyre become not only musical instruments, but also metaphors for expressing deep ideas and feelings in art.
Harmony of Sisters by Strings: Harp and Lyre in Art
“In every note of the harp and lyre there is not only music, but also beauty, magic and endless possibilities of inspiration.” - Arthur Hartmann
The beautiful harp was loved back in Ancient Mesopotamia, where it was respectfully called the “Queen of Instruments.” The fate of her sister, Lyra, was no less successful: she was also idolized. But if the harp is still an active participant in musical performances and flaunts in modern orchestras, then the lyre has frozen in eternity, retaining its immortality as a symbol of poetry.
Queen of Tools
In 1929, in Ur, when opening the royal tombs, archaeologists discovered a burial (26th century BC), later called the “tomb of Princess Puabi.” Keeping the secrets of eternity, dozens of female skeletons rested there in precious wreaths, with gold, silver, copper harps and lyres in their hands.
Agatha Christie took part in Mesopotamian excavations. The writer processed the finds, photographed the work process, made films, and... married an archaeologist. Subsequently, she wrote many detective stories, the events of which unfolded during expeditions. Agatha joked that every year she became more precious to her husband - he is an archaeologist.
But what is of interest to us is not gold and detective stories, but the discovered remains of a magnificent harp, on the frame of which rested the skeleton of a musician wearing a golden crown. The wooden parts of the instrument had decayed, but the decorations were completely preserved, and they were used to restore the artifact - a symbol of the ancient kingdom. The upper wooden beam of the harp was covered with gold, and the strings were pulled on gold nails. The resonator was decorated with a mosaic of red stone, lapis lazuli and mother-of-pearl, and in front stood a magnificent golden head of a bull with eyes and a beard made of lapis lazuli. Isn’t this evidence of the veneration of a magnificent instrument, the sounds of whose strings pleased people in days of joy and lifted the souls of the suffering to heaven, reconciling them with the sorrows of the corruptible world?
However, the ancients not only held funerals on a grand scale, but also celebrated: orchestras with the indispensable participation of the harp brought together up to 500 people.
The musical megalomania of the ancients can be the envy of today's festival organizers, and in ancient Palestine the harp mania, apparently, has reached its apogee. The historian Josephus (1st century BC) mentions a celebration that allegedly included 200,000 singers, 200,000 trumpeters, 40,000 harpers, and 40,000 sistrum players. Of course, these figures are fantastic, but undoubtedly, playing musical instruments, including the harp, was widespread among the Israelis.
The cure for melancholy
In Ancient Egypt, playing music was a ceremony, a sacred act, and the Egyptian hieroglyph “harp” also meant “beautiful”, “divine”. It is not surprising that the “queen of tools” ended up on the pages of the Bible and is mentioned as the companion of the young shepherd David. But his greatest fame was brought to him by the story of how he delighted the ears of the melancholy King Saul. Since the Bible has long been the only source of subjects for artists, it is not surprising that the image of a harp in the hands of a young man cemented a strong analogy with King David in the minds of Europeans. In addition, the meaning of the Ten Commandments was interpreted through the symbolism of the ten strings of David’s harp.
Thus, the gentle-sounding “beauty” moved from Mesopotamia not only to Egypt, the Mediterranean countries, but also to the canvases of Western European masters.
Musical Myths: Harp and Lyre Symbolism in Visual Art
“My paintings are a response to the musical chords that I hear in the sound of the harp and lyre of the soul.” - Elena Isakova
The ancient Greeks created their own pantheon of gods and, being fans of harmony, each of the muses (the gods also got their share) was given an instrument (which we wrote about in the article “The Enchanting Sounds of Music”). Our heroine was assigned the harp to Terpsichore, the muse of song and dance, and then to Apollo. Thus, the “queen of instruments” became a symbol of everything poetic and beautiful, perfectly embodying world harmony in its external form and wondrous sounds, uniting heaven and earth, science and art, body and soul. This is precisely why the heavenly angels loved her.
Eustache Le Sueur 1616 - 1655
Terpsichore is the muse of dance, usually depicted either with a harp, but more often with a lyre, or dancing. It opens people to harmony between the external and the internal, soul and body.
But the church tried to keep a tight rein on its flock. For its ability to create attractive vibes among girls and boys, music fell out of favor. The harp, like many musical instruments, was considered one of the devil's instruments. During the hysteria of the witch hunt, which began in Europe in the 15th century and ended in the 18th century, one could read in the protocols: “Sometimes the devil played the harp while the witches ate, then they danced in a circle...”. It was, of course, no longer possible to ban music, but to warn... That is why one of the deadly sins - lust - was called “the music of the flesh” in the moralizing literature of the Middle Ages.
Obviously, Hieronymus Bosch had this in mind when he depicted musical instruments as an instrument of punishment on the right wing of the triptych “The Garden of Earthly Delights” and one can see how a man is crucified on the strings of a harp. So the harp turned into a symbol of punishment.
Ireland's Golden Muse
Our heroine moved from hot Palestine to harsh lands, and already the Celtic god Dagda plays the harp with pleasure. As the myths say, playing it could put dragons to sleep! The Edda (a poetic collection of Old Icelandic songs about the gods and heroes of Scandinavian mythology) says that the dead were buried along with their harps in order to ease their path to the afterlife, which the Celts saw as not a gloomy dungeon, like the Greek Tartarus or, especially, the Christian hell, but a place of eternal summer, where the music of harps sounds without stopping.
The harp took a particularly honorable place in Ireland, where it enjoyed truly popular popularity. The songs of Irish harpers were both a historical archive and a “battle leaf”. Often it was the bards who instigated active struggle, and a number of harsh laws were passed in England. So, in 1367, Irish harpers were prohibited from appearing in English possessions. Under Oliver Cromwell, an order was in force according to which every harpist was to be captured and hanged, and the harp was to be destroyed. In Ireland, harpers remained bearers of an ancient noble aristocratic tradition. Moreover, the prohibitions did not prevent the harp from becoming a symbol of home comfort. Typically, most Irish families kept a harp or two at home, just as many now have a piano. To this day, the golden harp is the state symbol of the country.
Noble Smolyanka
“So you are, friend of the muses! pour me your delight Under the swift hand of the playing harita, Sound, oh harp!” - Gabriel Derzhavin sang
The first harp in Russia appeared during the time of Catherine II. In 1765, the Tsarina purchased a harp for the students of the Smolny Institute, and the instrument immediately became fashionable among the aristocratic community. In 1773, the Empress commissioned the artist Dmitry Levitsky to create a series of portraits of Smolyanka women. And among them, of interest to us is the portrait of Glafira Alymova, one of the best harpists of her time. The artist depicted her with her favorite instrument as an Allegory of Music. And the harp has since become a symbol of aristocracy and good manners and an indispensable companion for young ladies... “Only those who are free and noble play the harp,” said the poet. In the 19th century, it was believed that every well-bred girl from “decent society” should be able to play the harp.
The soul in the treasured lyre...
Since ancient times, the same bridge between the upper and lower worlds was the lyre, the oldest copies of which were discovered there, in Mesopotamia, next to the harp of Princess Puabi, during excavations in Ur. But a different fate awaited the lyre: it became the personification of power thanks to Apollo and Orpheus, who mesmerized listeners with their playing.
Apollo, the god of light, higher spirituality and the arts, first played the cithara, but later brother Hermes gave him a lyre. Apollo liked the new musical instrument so much that he never parted with it again. When the gods and divine creative youth (nymphs and muses, charites and fauns) gathered for the Parnassian festivals, Apollo entertained them by playing the lyre, and he had no equal in this art. In the Orphic mysteries, the lyre is a symbol of man. Its body is the body, the strings are the soul, and the musician is the divine Spirit.
In Ancient Greece, the instrument was very popular, and its sounds accompanied recitations, performances of works of epic and lyric poetry, giving rise to the term “lyrics”. So from the point of view of symbolism, the lyre has become one of the stable and durable symbols of poetry. No discrepancies. And with captivating music.
In conclusion, considering the harp and lyre as symbols in art highlights the deep and ancient connections between music, visual art, and the human soul. These instruments not only possess amazing musical beauty, but also become carriers of metaphorical richness, giving new dimensions to creativity.
Sister strings, the harp and the lyre, have absorbed not only sound characteristics, but also deep symbolic meanings. The harp, with its exquisite sound, invites us to aesthetics and emotional subtlety, while the lyre, as a symbol of epic poetry, lifts us above the everyday, filling creativity with majestic inspiration.
These instruments have become not only an adornment of art, but also a bridge between different forms of creativity and cultural traditions. Following the sounds of the harp and lyre, we are immersed in the harmonious world of art, where music, painting and poetry merge into one splendor, reminding us of the importance of harmony and sublimity in our own lives.
Our catalog contains not only verbal descriptions, but also unique and delightful paintings that embody visual interpretations of the theme “Melody of the Soul: Sisters on the Strings - the harp and lyre in art as symbols of harmony.” These works of art of various genres and styles immerse the viewer in the magical world of musical instruments, recreating their aesthetics and symbolism.
From graceful portraits centered on the harp and lyre to abstract compositions inspired by the sound of strings, each painting is unique in its embodiment of the theme. The artwork in our catalog not only provides visual pleasure, but also highlights the deep metaphors associated with these magnificent instruments.
These paintings provide the viewer with the opportunity to experience the magic and symbolism of the harp and lyre, transporting them into a unique world of harmony and creativity. In our catalog, each product is an exceptional opportunity to add a piece of this amazing art and inspiration to your space.