Legend of the Three Hares by Rebecca Nichols
Legend of the Three Hares
Acrylic on canvas 12"x12" The title of this piece should probably be ‘The Mystery of the Three Hares”! Three hares chase each other in a circle; there are only three ears as each is shared between two hares. This is a truly ancient symbol, found in churches throughout England & Europe, usually as a roof boss. It is also found in and on much older structures from Asia to the Middle East. The earliest known appearance of this motif is in the Mogao caves near Dunhuang, China, which were created during the Sui to Tang dynasties (581-907 AD.) The motif seems to have been important in the world's major faiths, spanning thousands of miles and at least 1,500 years, but no one knows why. Hares are believed to have divine, magical and mystical associations and were sacred to many ancient religions. In Christian architecture the hares may have symbolized the Trinity. The design is similar to the Celtic ‘triskele’.
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Artist Statement
for Rebecca Nichols
for Rebecca Nichols
I have always been fascinated by the intricate, fluid quality of Celtic knotwork and spiral forms, and by the many representations of animals found in Celtic artwork. The Ancients attempted to understand the mysterious and often inexplicable world around them by projecting their own conscious and unconscious imagery onto the surrounding landscape, and the animals that inhabited it. The symbolic references present in their mythological representations, whether on metalwork, hillside or carved in stone, seem to fill these images with a 'secret soul', a 'spirit,' that elevates them above the merely decorative.
My intention has been to interpret ancient British and Celtic mystical imagery in a style that I can best describe as 'Intuitive'....
 | Angela set a challenge Dreamy purple |
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 | was added to the group The Beauty of Springtime |
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You can put your website or the fact you are on facebook under your pics to lead people to your full range of talent.
Best regards, Dick.
love your Celtic design and great explanation