This painting is based on a poem and a novel by Irish poet Thomas Moore and shows the character Alethe, priestess of Isis.

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This painting is based on a poem and a novel by Irish poet Thomas Moore (author of Utopia and he died 1852). Alciphron, a Greek philosopher who travels to Egypt in 257 to find the secret to eternal life, meets Alethe, who is a priestess of Isis at the goddess's temple in Memphis but who secretly is a Christian. Alethe is shown here in the temple caring for ibises. In Egyptian mythology, the god of writing Thoth helped Isis care for her son Horus. Thoth is often associated with the ibis bird. Isis was one of the principal goddesses and seen as the Great Mother.

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Size: 3297px × 5400px
Photo credit: © Ivy Close Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: alciphron, alethe, ancient, bird, christianity, copt, early, egypt, egyptian, egyptians, goddess, gods, great, horus, ibis, iris, isis, legend, memphis, moore, mother, myth, mythology, poet, priestess, religion, temple, thomas, thoth, utopia