Strong.Female.Lead. – Part 1 – Athena & Wonder Woman

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

***This series highlights the similarities between art historical figures and their modern-day pop culture counterparts.  Part 1 features a closer look at Athena and Wonder Woman.***

Humans sure do love stories, don’t they? And we really love stories about heroes fighting villains, the underdog taking out Goliath and the universal battle between good and evil. So it makes sense that we are so often drawn to characters who begin as regular people who, through the course of a scientific mishap or a mystical ritual, become endowed with magical or superhuman qualities. Normal humans who become superhuman who then use that new power to fight evil hints at something rooted deep in human nature. Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino can ridicule superhero films all they want, but in doing so they refuse to acknowledge a very simple fact – people love superhero movies because sometimes we want to be the hero of our own story.

If you think about it, superhero stories aren’t that new or that trendy. Every culture on this planet has its own set of gods, goddesses, assorted deities and mystical beings who interact with humans, teach lessons, help out in a crisis or even torment humans for their own pleasure. One could easily draw the connection between the pantheon of deities worshipped by the Ancient Greeks and Romans to the host of superheroes provided to modern audiences by the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe.

In Part 1 of this series, we discuss how the Greek goddess Athena shares some remarkable qualities with the DC comic book hero, Wonder Woman. You can view the video by following this link…

Below you can find all the artwork discussed in the video you just watched…

“Pallas Athena,” Rembrandt, ca. 1655
Kylix (Ancient Greek pottery) from ca. 550-500 BC
The Varvakeion Athena. A reproduction of the Athena statue that once stood in the Parthenon. Created by Phidias, 200-250 AD
“Minerva Expelling the Vices from the Garden of Virtue,” Andrea Mantegna, 1502

Don’t forget… Athena is the Ancient Greek name for the goddess of war and Minerva is the Ancient Roman name for the same figure.

This painting also makes me think of religious depictions of the angel driving Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden.

“The Judgement of Paris,” Peter Paul Rubens, ca. 1636

Note that this painting includes Athena’s symbol the owl to denote her wisdom in battle.

What are your thoughts on superhero movies? What do you think of the Athena/Wonder Woman connection? Leave your comments below!

4 thoughts on “Strong.Female.Lead. – Part 1 – Athena & Wonder Woman”

  2. Posted today on SUBMIT info below if not received on POSTS. Art history relative to  21st century entertainment.  Paintings are so good to see compared to Wonder Woman.  Thanks for including both the Greek & Roman names of Athena & Minerva because I always forget 2 names!

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The Wandering Art Historian's avatar
I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.