Aquarius
1600x1300mm
oil on canvas
2026
First mentioned:
Iliad, ca. 750-700 BCE
The Story of Ganymede
Ganymede was a remarkably beautiful young prince of Troy and the son of King Tros. His beauty was said to be so extraordinary that Zeus, king of the gods, desired to bring him to Mount Olympus. Zeus transformed himself into a great eagle and carried Ganymede away from the mortal world and into the heavens.
Once on Olympus, Ganymede was appointed cupbearer to the gods, a position of considerable honour. His duty was to serve nectar, the divine drink associated with the immortality of the gods. His presence among the Olympians elevated him from mortal prince to an immortal figure in the divine realm. Yet his elevation came at a cost, as he was separated from his family and the life he had known on Earth.
Because of his role as the divine cupbearer, Ganymede became closely associated with the Water-Bearer, pouring the heavenly drink from his vessel. He was eventually represented among the stars as the constellation Aquarius. His story therefore became a lasting symbol of beauty, divine favour, mortality, and the transformation of a mortal into an immortal presence in the heavens.
