The Siren is a painting by John William Waterhouse. The painting depicts a siren sitting at the edge of a cliff, lyre in hand, staring down at a shipwrecked sailor floating in water, who in turn is staring up at her. The picture was painted in 1900 and is now part of a private collection.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Siren_(Waterhouse_painting)

  • aasatru@kbin.earth
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    1 month ago

    I love this rendition - the finns at her legs are just subtle enough that he would not have seen them when jumping off the boat, but enough that he’s just about now realising that something is seriously wrong.

  • Paradachshund@lemmy.today
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    1 month ago

    In most media with sirens I’ve seen they turn monstrous before they feed. I’ve always felt like it would be much more disturbing if they didn’t. This gives me some of those vibes. Awesome painting.

    • Goodtoknow@lemmy.ca
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      1 month ago

      What might a non monstrous one do their victim? Eat them still? Or some cosmic unimaginable horror?

      • Paradachshund@lemmy.today
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        1 month ago

        Yeah I picture it looking like cannibalism with a disturbing amount of glee. Personally I find the idea of this nearly human creature happily devouring flesh to be quite creepy.

  • mortemtyrannis@lemmy.ml
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    1 month ago

    Great painting.

    Excellent expressions on both subjects, the siren looks like a predator and the sailor has this face of fearful realisation.

  • spiderwort@leminal.space
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    1 month ago

    He wants to hump her. Can I say hump? I know it really takes the magic out. But yes. Hump. It’s the blazing solar behind all that poetic stained glass. Hump hump humpy hump. And he’s doomed for thinking with the little head.