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With her golden apples and flowing scarf the Teutonic goddess Idun manifests her youthful charm in the beam of celestial light. She is the wife of Odin's son Bragi, the god of poetry. Seen as flying like an apsara of Hindu, Buddhist and Nir. grantha mythology Idun epitomises an ancient longing of the poet in man. In Teutonic mythology
she is the goddess of eternal youth'. Painting by Constantin Hansen, Copenhagen Museum, Denmark.
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Ariel
The Daughters of Heaven in the Art of the Nirganthas
P. C. DASGUPTA
Through past epochs and across chapters that cover the landmarks of human civilisation what is manifest everywhere is the expression of art. This is an episode inseparable from the history of nations often being pleasingly distinguishable from the sequels of tumults of conflicts and organisations. Thus, the artists of the past with their own characteristic sensitivity and appreciation explored the beauty of landscapes, the themes of legends, the feelings of saints and heroes and the physical grace of woman identifiable sometime as a divinity and sometime as a queen of love and mystery who has ever evoked longings of the poet in man. Thus, for instance, the Egyptian art essayed to interpret the grace of the Pharaos and the blossoming or mature beauty of women with their areas of charm scarcely hidden by a close-fitting wear while in movement or in a static poise, the Assyrians depicted the passion of lion-hunts and
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