Persephone

The first attempt at the mask for Persephone felt too cluttered for the look I was going for so I went back to my design and changed it up to something I was much more proud of.

Persephone I wanted to look more into the duality of her life and death, but how they also exist in one being. The left side is the more overworld side with light green (a color typically associated with spring time) and fresh blossoms. There is however a golden and black trim to bring in the fact that she’s also the Queen of the underworld. On the right it’s meant to represent more of that underworld vibe. In the time period purple was a very rich color as there wasn’t a cheap way for it to be produced.

The skull is meant to represent the dead. I found a couple sources claiming that she was associated with bats and bat wings however that seems to be a more modern interpretation but I did include it because they are associated with that more dark and macabre vibe regardless. However this is all balanced out by the bright yellow and white flower trim. The opposite trims on either side are meant to help show how she has this duality but is still the same goddess whether she’s in the underworld or the world of the living.

I also incorporated the main key aspect of their story, the pomegranate seeds. On the underworld side she has the six seeds lining the bottom of the eye. This is due to the whole eye being a gate way to the soul thing, and a soul being the main essence of the being. The other side has six roses on top, something a similar red but representing her time in either world is limited to six months of the year.

The split between the two halves is ripped. This shows not only the rift in the world where Hades dragged her down but also the tension between the people on the two sides. Both Hades (her husband) and Demeter (her mother) love her deeply in their own way.