Was Zeus blind?

[housecarl]

Title says it all really. Only on the box art for Alexandros Miniatures, there's no irises.
The Internet doesn't have the answer either.
Thanks,
Carl.

 

[tiger111]

how could a god know all and see all with out sight? box art is just an artist interpetation I would guess.
How could he have looked down on humanity and see that they were worthless?

 

[Meehan34]

My opinion would be to paint the eyes as if he could see.

 

[smudger1960]

Interesting point that carl,when i painted the kit i painted it with the iris's,youre quit right though,the box art does misslead you,they just look white.

Brian

 

[housecarl]

Thanks for your thoughts on the subject.
Carl.

 

[Akritas]

Carl, there's no reference (at least to my knowledge and I've dabbled with it quite a bit) that Zeus was blind. Actually, I don't think there are any blind gods in Greek mythology.

There are references to deformed or crippled gods i.e. Hephaestus.

 

[DEL]

Hi Carl, had a good lk couldn't see anything.
Derek

 

[Bailey]

I agree with Akritas. I may not be a Greek mythology expert, but I've read a decent amount. I've never heard anything about Zeus being blind and, considering all the stories that involve him, think it would have come up.

You're right about the box art. My guess is the artist painted it that way to make it look supernatural, to make him appear non-human. Maybe he was trying to do something like glowing eyes, though I don't think the shading on the face suggests that. Regardless, I seriously doubt the artist was trying to make him look blind. If anything it was to give him an other worldly appearance.

 

[arxo]

For what is worth I am Greek and I have never ever heard, or read (scholl or not) anywhere that Zeus was blind. I have also started to paint this figure (had to give it to a friend who is an expert modeller to assemble it because of the gaps in the casting especially considering the head/neck/shoulder - have any of you had this issue?) and I have to say that the eyes are really narrow (and I think not well defined especially the left one) and that I agree with Bailey on that. I think the artist aimed for a supernatural look, and to be honest, that's how I intend to go too...

 

[housecarl]

Thanks again chaps. Arxo, I know what you mean about the fit of the parts. There was a gap of a couple of MM around the hair neck and face. Although the rest wasn't that bad.
Carl.

 

[Coco]

Hello All!!

I've taken the liberty of asking the source... to Alex Cortina, owner of Alexandros Models, amazing painter (as you well know), and indeed better person.

Well, he told me that he decided to paint the eyes white in order to give Zeus the inmortal and mythic air that a god must have and, as Alex intended, it reminds the saying the greeks of that time used to call, the wrath of Zeus! In the figure, Zeus has just received the news Periphas the eagle brought him about the humans.... that's why he's looking down from the Olympus and preparing to launch his punitive ray.
The idea for this figure came to Alex while he was visiting the Temple of Zeus in Pergammon (the real ruins in Turkey), even though the Temple is now on display in the Pergammon Museum in Berlin.

Hope this may help a little.

regards!

Enrique.

 

[housecarl]

Thank you very much Enrique.
Can't get much better than that,
Carl.