Art & Prose (3/7). Brünnhilde and Siegmund
"The Ring of the Nibelung" in the paintings of Marina Podgaevskaya
Marina Podgaevskaya. Brünnhilde and Siegmund (Die Walküre)
Marina Podgaevskaya’s three paintings inspired by Die Walküre beautifully portray the intimate relationships of the ancient gods - a theme Wagner could not avoid in his serious, philosophical narrative.
The supreme god Wotan fell in love with a mortal woman, met her in the guise of a wolf, and bestowed her with twins - Siegmund and Sieglinde. The twins were separated in childhood, only to meet and fall in love as adults. Meanwhile, Wotan fell in love with Erda, the goddess of wisdom. She bore him the Valkyrie Brünnhilde.
One day, the fierce maiden, the Valkyrie encountered the twins (as depicted in the painting) and was so moved by Siegmund’s powerful love for Sieglinde that she herself fell in love with her half-brother.
Why did they meet? What happened next? Why do Brünnhilde and Siegmund appear so aggressive in the painting? Find out in next week’s post.
More scences are coming soon:
02.05.2025 – The Ride of the Valkyries (Die Walküre)
09.05.2025 – Wotan’s Farewell to Brünnhilde (Die Walküre)
16.05.2025 – Siegfried and Brünnhilde (Siegfried)
23.05.2025 – Twilight of the Gods (Götterdämmerung)
You can find the links to earlier scences in this publication:
Art & Prose, Season II Announcement
See you!
Viacheslav