The tales of beautiful women luring men to destruction by leading them with the sound of their sweet voices come from Greek mythology. A Siren was thought to be a half human female and half bird. As described in Homer’s Odyssey there were two Sirens living on an island located between Aeaea and the rocks of Scylla in the western sea. The mariners who heard their enchanting songs were compelled to sail toward them, only to meet fatality by crashing their ships on the rocky coast. In Gottlieb’s painting, Siren Song, he implies a comparison of the mythological creature to a modern-day temptress who is aware of her beauty and knows how to dominate within her realm. The surrounding soft, tonal purples of the dawn light add to the sense of magic in the scene.
