"The Flight of Wayland" by Leon Goodman

£300.00

  

STUNNING LIMITED EDITION "The Flight of Wayland". Incredible new Goodman Quality Edition on Canvas!

 

 

 "The Flight of Wayland" By Leon Goodman

This beautiful rare and unusual painting captures the Sword Smith of Odin, Wayland Smithy.

 

This rare and incredible painting illustrates Wayland

 

(Weland, Wieland, Volund, Volundr) the Viking/Saxon God of metal working, although he is often seen as one of the Elven race from Alfheim rather than a God. Wayland is the same as Volundr or Volund, who is described in Norse myth, recorded from Iceland in the form of a poem.

 

Wayland is seen pointing back to the 3 Valkyries as they pursue him in a Viking long ship for the plumage he's stolen from them!!!! He has shaped the plumage into huge wings which he has partially strapped on to escape King Niduth of Sweden. Wayland has found his Mermaid Mother and is explaining his need to leave her and fly to Valhalla which can be seen in the distance!!

 

Wayland is a smith of outstanding quality, his work is so prized that a vain king called Niduth of Sweden lames him and sets him to work on an island. In revenge Wayland kills the King's two greedy sons, fashioning goblets from their skulls.......... He then rapes the King's daughter Beahilda and fashions wings with which he escapes from the Island. Before he flies off to Valhalla he lands on the archway of the palace and reveals the nature of his revenge to the King and his subjects telling him that Beahilda's child is his. Then Wayland disappeared up into the clouds. Wayland flew far and wide  and eventually came to rest across the North Sea in Britain. He landed on the high downs in Berkshire, where he discovered an ancient chambered tomb which he made his home. It was here that Merlin commissioned him to make the great Excalibur for King Arthur himself! He lives there still. 

 

Wayland's Smithy near Uffington, England. Wayland's Smithy is one of the most impressive and atmospheric Neolithic ( 3900 B.C ) burial chambers in Britain. This ancient grave became associated with Wayland, the Saxon, Viking God of metalworking, from whom it takes its name because when the Saxons arrived in England they believed that only their Gods could move such large Sarsen stones. The Smithy is one of the most atmospheric and spiritual places in England and is steeped in Legends and Folklore. The burial chamber is named after Wayland !!  . It is likely that this myth travelled with the Anglo Saxons, and the tomb became associated with Wayland because of its uncanny quality. It is well known that the art of the smith was shrouded in secrecy, legend and magic, and many ancient monuments became attributed to supernatural figures. Volundr is also associated with labyrinths, and it has been suggested that the resemblance of the dilapidated tomb to a labyrinth may have led to its association with the smith god.  Traditionally, Wayland still inhabited the mound and was ready to shoe a horse. The horse had to be left at the mound alone for a short period, along with the payment of a silver coin. On returning the horse would have been shod and the payment would have disappeared!!! 

Most of the paintings produced show Icarus, Hephaestus or Wayland in flight, but they portray wings so small they would hardly lift a child let alone a full-grown Viking!!! The monstrous wings in this painting carry the conviction that they could, in actuality, lift a man!!! An intriguing link is made with these men in flight. First, Icarus belongs to ancient mythology. Second, Hephaestusis the Greek God who was smithy to Zeus (the Greek's equivalent of the Vikings' Odin), and third, Wayland was smithy to the Vikings' God Odin, who was foremost of all Viking Gods! So it transpires Wayland has roots in the world's mythology, the Greek's religion of Gods, and the Vikings' religion of Gods. No other hero throughout history has these extraordinary connections!!

 

 

 

BEAUTIFUL LIMITED EDITION Hahnemühle Fine Art Print of The Rare painting  "The Flight of Wayland" .

 

 

 

 

BY THE SUPERB LEON GOODMAN WHO IS AN ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST HAVING BEEN A FINALIST AT THE GARRICK-MILNE PRIZE. HE HAS MANY OF HIS WORKS SOLD AT CHRISTIES.

 

A Quality Hahnemuhle Edition of 100 Editions - All signed by the Artist with Certificate of Authenticity.

 

Measurements; height 24 inches by 20 inches ..

(60 cms x 50.8 cms)

 

This is a Quality Limited Edition Art Print ( Limited run of 100) Signed by the Artist .................... 

 

Leon Goodman has been a professional artist for the majority of his working life. His work has been sold at The Omell Gallery, Ascot, as well as Christies, the fine art auction house in London. Many of his works have sold for thousands of pounds in the U.S. ( Please check out Ref only; leon-goodman.com ) Since seeing his work, Risborough Art Gallery have made him a regularly featured artist. Leon’s philosophy is that it is not the delineation of the subject which is important, but its fragmentation. He believes a strictly photographic image does not allow the viewer to participate in the painting. If the image is fragmented, the viewer can imagine for himself the missing parts and involve himself in the creation of the whole image. The viewer has seen his own interpretation of the fragmented images; the next viewer may see something different.

 

 

 

GUARANTEED TO BE 100% ORIGINAL AND GENUINE WITH C.O.A.