B/w print
Acc.no: PEZPH : 1990.1602
Identification
Item: The Mermaid of Zennor
Description: This is the famous wood carving of a mermaid on the end of a small pew in Zennor Church. Aphrodite was goddess of the sea and of love. She is depicted holding a quince and a comb. She was seen by medieval Christians as a symbol of lust and a warning against the sins of the flesh. The quince was subsequently replaced by a mirror, a symbol of vanity and heartlessness. Amongst seafaring communities, she illustrated the two natures of Christ, human and divine; human and fish like. The legend of Matthew, the Zennor boy who fell in love with her and followed her into the sea is perpetuated.
Description
Production
Category: Photography
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