DESIGN

The Judgment of Phryne

A Cyclopean Tale

The sorrow, despair and pain I experienced during my interaction with the crying figure in my dream, the call, demanded a response. Instead of feeling powerless a new found source of inspiration initiated counter-measures; the most potent being the hetaera Phryne. I had never heard of her and yet I found myself placing her center stage as my heroine. During my recent vacation in Greece, I feel an unusual happening validated my selection.

After exploring the path from our hotel to the Acropolis museum, we enter an artist coop store located on a small alley way filled with tourists. We enter on a whim, we passed other similar shops but enter this one for reasons unknown. In the far back of the shop I see what appears to be bronze swords and make a beeline for them; Sandra on the other hand engages the shop keeper about the painting on the wall behind him. It is the only painting in the shop.

From a distance I hear the painting’s name, The Judgment of Phryne. Shocked, I halt his explanation and take over. I explain who she is and how she is a central figure in my work. Both Sandra and the shop keeper are astounded that I know of the painting and even more so on finding out how I use her. The occasion is highly coincidental; we select the very shop, perhaps one of the very few, with an image of Phryne on its walls.