Mermaid mosaic art, a sub-genre in its own right
(4 min read) Those of you who follow this blog are well aware of the fact that I LOVE reading spooky stuff. So it won’t come as a surprise that I am currently reading the blood-chilling Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant. The book talks a lot about mermaids and the old myths and legends that still surround them to this day. And let me tell you something… Ariel was never a pretty little thing with vivid imagination and love for humankind.
The earliest data about mermaids were recorded in ancient Assyria, some 25 centuries before the Common Era. Records from back then say that the goddess Atargatis flung herself into the sea and transformed into the first mermaid. She did so out of desperation and grief over the death of her human lover, a shepherd whose name has been lost in the transcripts. After that first record, the legends and reports of sightings just kept coming. Almost every country with some larger water surface within its borders has its own mermaid folklore.
Now let me ask you something, if mermaids really came from deep sorrow and despair, what are the chances that they are these Ariel-like, friendly and outgoing creatures? None. Those old sailor myths about the mermaid luring them into a slow and painful death sound much more likely once you read the Atargatis myth, amirite?
You are probably wondering how did we even get to this watered-down (pun intended) mermaid version we have today. Well, I suppose it all started with Hans Christian Andersen and his story about the little mermaid, but that was also a tragic take on the legends. However, that is the story that Disney took and adapted into the children’s animated movie we all fell in love with. On the same note, these days people have a tendency to romanticize monsters. Just look at the way the bloodsucking vampires are portrayed in The Twilight Saga, Vampire Diaries, True Blood, etc. And the same goes for werewolves, witches, and all sorts of creepy creatures.
So was Ariel really a Jessica Rabbit tailed lookalike? Probably not. Was she really anything for that matter? We might get an answer to that question in the future. Now you are probably thinking that I’m one of those conspiracy theorists or something, but just keep in mind that just 5% of Earth’s oceans have been explored and charted, so who’s to say there are not some pretty AND horrible mermaids out there? In the meantime, we get to think of the mermaids the way we want to. If you fell in love with mermaids through fairytales and cartoons, stay in love. If you are a bit creeped out by the notion of a humanlike sea creature, but you are still weirdly drawn to them, you are not the only one.
So until science explains all those mermaid sightings and our fascination with them, we are allowed to dream, write stories, make movies, and create some gorgeous mosaics. Sea beauties or sea monsters, it is up to you!
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58 Comments
I can’t imagine how long the painter must have spent to finish one art piece. All the arts are artistic and beautiful
First of all, I love the mosaics! When I was a child, my dream is to see a fairy and mermaid in person and wish they were real. It all depends on the version of which mermaids could be a lovable creature to a monster, anyways, there is a thing you call literary freedom.
Can we just talk about how beautiful these murals are? Loved your post!
These are gorgeous works of art for sure …. masterpieces really. I would love this in my pool! What a cool design and perfect for a swimming pool.
Mermaids and mosaics just seem to go together so well! This is such a lovely aesthetic with some beautiful designs.
How fun! I do love mermaids but not sure I would want the art in my house.
I really don’t think you are a conspiracy theorist at all. I too find it weird that monsters are being romanticized. Also, I find mermaids spooky.
I’ve always loved mermaids ever since I was 3 and first saw The Little Mermaid. Ariel has always been my favorite princess. These mermaid mosaics are just gorgeous!
Enjoyed this post – even the watered-down pun! Yes, let’s keep dreaming & creating because one person’s sea beauty can be another person’s sea monster. It’s all a matter of perspective!
Mermaids are a great subject for a mosaic. These are so pretty with the waves in the background.
At first look I thought it’s a painting, wow. Those arts are all beautiful, I like it.
At first glance, the artworks look like those were painted by an expert master. They are pretty amazing.
Love these mermaid mosaics. I wish there was one at the beach so that we could feel inspired by their beauty.
nice these are beautiful. I am sure there were a tons of work into this . thanks for sharing such beautiful piece
Wow thats amazing! Such detailed work, I’d never have the patience haha
These are so beautiful and looking at the long process makes them even more beautiful! This is one of my favorite art styles because I love how it takes a bunch of little pieces to make one final art piece.
I love mermaids and have always found beautiful mosaics. I saw a theme like this once I think in Losinj and it was a separate mosaic in a street and it was fantastic being in a seaside town.
i want to remodel one of my bathrooms to an entire mermaid theme! giving me great ideas here!
Well, look at all those beautiful mermaids. I had no idea that the “mermaid mosaic” was such a thing. They are very cool, though. Eyes have been opened.
these mermaid mosaic ideas sounds so amazing and interesting ones though and some of these even looks so damn fascinating too..glad you shared them with us..great work though…
Stunning work! These are beautiful mosaics!
These are really cool. Mermaids are so fun and free-spirited!
These are so pretty. They would look good in my bathroom or near a pool.
These are beautiful Mosaics! I have only 2 in my collection.
These are such gorgeous mosaics, amazing work!
I love these! I wouldn’t mind having one in my house. I am digging the colors.
I LOVE mermaids, these are all absolutely lovely!
Weird, but I don’t think that I have EVER read anything spooky. Seen spooky movies though.
The art is beautiful! And I learned a lot from your post. However, I still want to believe Disney’s version of mermaids. 😉
I loved this article! What a great break from reality and I absolutely LOVED all the pics of the art work. Simply beautiful!
Mosaic art really amazes me! It’s just astounding how creative people really are.
Those all look very magical. Love them all
These are all beautiful mermaid mosaics! I can just imagine the passion, time, and patience put into each item.
I love the artworks. Obviously, a very nice painter could turn our house into a clean and safe haven.
Dang. Those mosaics are the kind of thing that I would want to have on my walls.
These are such beautiful pieces. I can imagine them in the gardens across the Mediterranean Sea, for that exotic decorative element.
Absolutely stunning! I’ll have to add that book to my list. I love mermaids!
These are such beautiful pieces of art…the intricate detailing is incredible!
oh who doesn’t love mermaids! it’s a great theme for anything water related I believe
Mermaid mosaics look just wonderful, so feminine and delicate at the same time. Just perfect for the swimming pool area! 🙂
I never knew such mosaic art existed until now! These look so beautiful ?
Great post. The Mermaid Mosaic mural, by Rachel Rodi is absolutely stunning. And to see Rachel actually creating The Mermaid is unbelievable.
Thanks for sharing.
These mermaid themed mosaics are just stunning art pieces in its own right. I would love to have the Mermaid by Marina Alexandrova in my home one day
Mosaic art is a classic! The amount of time and creativity people give to create this masterpiece is truly amazing!
These are all so beautiful!
Such lovely art. It reminds me of a bathroom theme my friend had when we were younger.
They are all beautiful. I love mermaids only in pictures, art works and movies. I’d rather not really see them, lol.
Wow! These are incredible! I really love how the colors blend in. Such an excellent choice of colors for these mermaids.
It is a unique theme to explore and give your own interpretation. Doing some research on mermaids, to me it’s fascinating.
The time and patience in making this mosaic art is unimaginable. Gorgeous result and makes it priceless ?
I really like the post. I love mermaids, they remind me of the fairy tales I heard about them and the most beautiful period of my life, my childhood. They have always been beautiful and graceful to me. Very nicely done mosaics.
I love the mystic beauty that these mosiac mermaids possess. They are very beautiful!
What a talent! The mosaic mermaids look amazing… I really like the very first one shown, such vibrant colors! awesome!
The artworks are really nice. I’ve always wondered whether mermaids were real even when I was a kids.
These pieces of art are so beautiful! I love these kind of pieces.
Wow, love these mermaid pieces! The colors are so beautiful…
Mermaids tickle our imagination. Even as an adult, I want to believe they real. That the sightings are real. If for no other reason, then to believe in the unusual and hope of beauty. I encourage my daughters to believe in things they like until proven otherwise. After all, I still believe in dragons.
There is something mystical about a mermaid, and though they are fiction, their beauty is mesmerizing and gives other hopes and dreams. These colors are magnificent!