dolling up Norse Myth.

While at The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures in Tucson, I ran across some curious Barbie Doll scale mythology-based creations by maker George S. Stuart:



Taking more inspiration from Wagner's Ring Cycle, there's something uncanny & overexpressed about how the figures are depicted, which is performatively operatic, and this interpretation has alot to say about the endurance of Germanic Romanticism & Victorian ideas, and their specific reception with this artist.



One could say the level of immodest reveal here (and hey, they're The Gods, no shame in their game) has more on-loan from Classical statuary, also hearkens to the cloth-clad illustrations of Lorenz Frølich.


Sure, you can't help but look at the Freyr's legs, but also note his vest designs! This might be the very moment his gives his sword away for the love of Gerðr.


And Odin brings new meaning to the term "skyclad". Oddly NorsePlay has featured this cosmic garb on the All-Father before, so it's not a new convention. One could guess it's a throwback to the medieval moon & stars wizarding robes, which is reflexive since Merlin is arguably based on Odin, plus Odin probably pinned the sparks of Muspelheim within night's dome & set Máni the Moon to rolling across the sky.

While the oddity of these dolls begs questions of influence, I was surprised & delighted to find the Norse Lore manifesting in such a weird fashion in Tucson.

[do see the rest online here, and do go behold the other small delights at The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures when you visit.]

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Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires' Norse Gods and Giants at age seven. Since then he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the Map of Midgard project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay. If you have employment/opportunities in investigative mythology,  field research, or product development to offer, do contact him.

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