This week, we are happy to highlight the raku pottery vase ‘Pandora’s Jar‘, named in honour of a woman handcrafted by the gods. Given many gifts from the gods, including great beauty, cunning and a special jar/urn, Pandora would change the course of the world.
Now many of you may have heard of Pandora’s box, but that would be due to a 16th century error in translation. Her special trinket from Zeus himself was a jar or urn.
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It all started when humans acquired the godly gift of fire from Prometheus. Zeus was none too pleased with that mere mortals had acquired the fire of the gods. In order to balance the scales, he decided to bestow another gift upon the mortal world. Her name was Pandora.
Zeus ordered the other gods to help with his little project. Hephaestus created the form of Pandora in his forge, Athena teaches her weaving and dresses her in the finest gowns, Hermes would give her the power of speech, and Aprodite gave her great beauty, cunning and curiosity.
Have any of you seen the movie weird science? Only Pandora was not made for himself, but rather to deliver Zeus’ balancing ‘gift’ to Earth contained in a jar. Zeus knew better than to deliver Pandora to Prometheus, so she was delivered to his gullible brother Epimethius.
Epimethius was warned not to accept any gift from Zeus by his brother, but Pandora was so beautiful and cunning that he not only invited her into his house, but he also married her.
In time, this would prove to be a fatal error, for in Pandora’s jar were plagues and suffering that she would unleash on the Earth by opening the jar. 2020 may have taught us all about life during the plague.
It is said that the only thing left in the jar is hope. That’s something we all need right now. Stay safe, stay healthy!
What did you think of today’s vase and story? Please let me know in the comments below, and if you would like to see more of our raku vases and read their stories, check out our gallery here.
For those of you who came here wanting to see Pandora’s box, you’ll have to settle for mine.
Beautiful!
Thank you! Glad it resonated with you 🙏 I hope you are keeping safe and well
Love your way… to weave a story, around truths, that will set captives free; to love and live with hope. Or in other words… Well Done!
Thank you for your thoughtful comment! I very much appreciate it. I hope you are keeping well 🙏
Loved the story and the vase!
Thanks Mark! I am glad that they resonated with you 🙏 I hope you are keeping safe and well today!
Sensuous colors.
Thank you for your kind comment, Roger. The colour is one of the most exciting parts of working with raku pottery. One never quite knows what they are going to get!
So interesting!! I love these old myths, love the pottery too!
Thank you for your kindness Chloe! We did a whole book of vase stories last year (out first book!) Its here if you are curious
https://rakupottery.ca/buy-the-book/ 🙏
I love your stories and how you associate them with your works of art. Beautifully rendered.
Thank you Eugenia! I do believe you have been following along since we first started and I very much appreciate this! I hope you are keeping safe and well 🙏
I enjoy your blog and love your pottery! We’re hanging in there! 😊
Lovely! Those detail shots really bring out the complexities that do look like the misfortunes escaping from Pandora’s box.
Thank you! That is so lovely to hear that you see that in the piece. Much appreciated, Cerid! 🙏