The Mermaids, circa 1885

A formidable colorist, a goldsmith in the world of painting, Gustave Moreau (1826-1898) uniquely depicted subjects from Greek mythology and the Bible during his life, such as this episode of Homer's Odyssey (end of the 8th century BC).
This canvas depicts the ship of the heroic Ulysses, approaching the sirens' isle. The hero, forewarned of the danger, asked his companions to attach him to the mast, and to plug their ears with wax. That way, he could listen to the sirens' song without dying.
The three sirens are depicted in a contemporary style: half-woman, half-fish, whereas antique artists represented them as half-woman, half-bird.
The composition plays with spaces across the different sections, and draws out a diagonal plane, which draws the eye to the horizon. The orange hues of dusk, mixed with the blue-green of the water create a harmonious image.