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Monsters have been one of the most popular and enduring aspects of classical mythology for thousands of years. This talk discusses how Modern art has adapted monsters from ancient Greek myth. From the Pre-Raphaelites to Pablo Picasso to Romare Bearden, modern artists (mid-19^th century to late 20^th) have used classical monsters to reflect changing societal interests and concerns, such as the tension between the Industrial Revolution and appreciation for the natural world; the development of psychoanalysis and attention to the unconscious; and the effects of colonization and racism.

Presented by Debbie Felton, Professor of Classics, University of Massachusetts Amherst; The Oxford Handbook of Monsters in Classical Myth (pub. 2023), author

Image: Hercules and the Hydra, John Singer Sargent, 1922-25, oil on canvas, 137 x 125 in, MFA Boston